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Three years ago in the summer holiday, the now fifteen-year-old Isabelle van Haver who lives in the chique Aerdenhout (Holland) got miningitis suddenly. According to the family docter it came through tension, because she would go to the secondary school for the first time. But that was not correct, according to Isabelle. "I am not a stressfull type." The stiffness became worse, that worse, that she almost could not walk anymore. The fysiotherapist of her mother advised her to let her mak a Mri-scan. The results were not good. "There was an enormous tumor in my nape at a dangerous place, near a number of nerves." It was a shock, but time to think, she did not have. She had immediately to go to the hospital that lasted for twelve hours. The tumor was then still benign, but through the operation her nake collapsed. “I got a haloframe, a metal scaffold which kept my head ahead. Not rather fashionably. Through the chemotherapy the hair of Isabelle fell out, as a result of which she had to wear a wig. And that was awful. At that time the wig cost fifteen hundred guilders and after wearing it for one time it was thrown in the corner. “He dit not fit, itched enormously and saw fake also. And it cost a lot of energy to let it look pretty”,the fifteen-year-old told. Together with her mother she came on a brilliant idea. Granny made caps, on which she tied pieces of real hair. Isabelle: “Then you get a wig which looks at least real and naturally." Meanwhile she has about twenty different caps, in different kinds and colours: from short and dark till blond and curly. Most caps have tall, blond and straight her. Just like her own hair before. The first time she came in the street with her new cap on it was thrilling. "I was frightened that people would see that it was fake." But all responses were very positive, the caps became succesfull. Isabelle: In former days I did not have such a captivating haircut and I cannot remember that ever someone has given me compliments concerning my hair. But when I started to wear the caps I got many compliments. What a nice cap you have! What a tall hair you have! How do you get your hair so straight? Very funny if you consider that it is not my own hair, but a wig in fact. Also in the hospital they like the designs of Isabelle. Most of the children with cancer had never seen something like that. Because they are carrying a piece of cloth on their head, because wigs are too big for them. And tailored ones cost some thousands of euros, the most of them cannot afford them. With the caps Isabelle wants to inspire girls with cancer to make the caps themselves. Her granny, who is well into her seventies, cannot be put at work the whole day, and she has no time herself. Over three weeks Isabelle has to be operated again, because the tumor has returned. Encloser Isabelle de Haver: In former days I did not have such a captivating haircut and I cannot remember that ever someone has given me compliments concerning my hair. How do you get your hair so straight? |