Princess Charlotte Alopecia Program
The Princess Charlotte Alopecia Program (PCAP) (previously known as Princess Charlotte Alopecia Foundation) is part of Variety – the Children’s Charity’s initiative to support children with alopecia areata. The program promotes awareness about alopecia areata as well as wig grants for children with all strains of the condition.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease affecting a significant number of the world’s population, including children. The condition causes hair loss over the entire scalp and sometimes even hair loss on the body including loss of eyelashes and eyebrows (alopecia universalis). The hair loss is often first noticed with small, round bald patches appearing on the scalp. There is also no known cure of Alopecia.
Alopecia areata can be the result of psychological stress, particularly in children. Hair loss can lead to significant changes in appearance and individuals can experience social phobia, anxiety, and depression due to their hair loss. Hair loss can really destroy a person’s self-confidence and stop people from feeling like themselves. This is particularly true for young people, who are already faced with many challenges and are at an age when enhancing self-esteem is vital.
To help instil confidence and self-esteem in these children, the Variety grant can provide specialised wigs that are created out of real human hair. These wigs are specially manufactured for each child to ensure that the colour and size fits and will look as realistic as possible, allowing the children to play sport, swim and do many activities without fear that their wig will fall off.
Wigs can often cost families between $3,500 to $5,000, lasting 2-3 years, meaning families can spend well over $20,000 on the purchase of wigs throughout the child’s youth. Variety hopes to ease the financial and emotional burden of the condition by providing children with specialised wigs who would benefit from them.
If this sounds like something you and your child would benefit from then click here to download the application form for a Variety specialised wig grant that will get your child’s confidence back in no time!
