Dealing with a serious medical diagnosis is a scary thing to face. But with the support and kindness of loved ones, it can be more bearable. Random Acts supporter Magalie Deconynck wanted to help her friend’s mother prepare for brain surgery, so she reached out to Random Acts for help.
Looking Good, Feeling Good
Magalie knew that her friend’s mother, Sylvie, was having a tough time. Sylvie had been dreading an upcoming procedure. As Magalie explained, “Sylvie was very stressed about needing brain surgery. Together with the impact of losing her hair, she was emotional and scared.” There was a lot about this situation that felt beyond anyone’s control, so Magalie focused on an aspect that she could manage. She applied for funding, provided by our wonderful donors, to buy a wig for Sylvie. Even before Sylvie began shopping for wigs, she was thrilled. “She was so grateful that she invited me and my boyfriend over for dinner. When I told her about this act of kindness, she and her family were very emotional about it. A lot of tears were spilled. Also her daughter, who is my best friend, was a bit overwhelmed,” Magalie said.
The process of shopping for the wig happened in two stages. First, Magalie, Sylvie, and Sylvie’s daughter went to try on wigs at a professional wig shop. Second, Sylvie and her daughter went for a final fitting. At the second fitting, Sylvie’s hair had been shaved off; “that way, she could get used to the wig before the actual operation,” Magalie explained. This process provided some comfort to Sylvie before her surgery. “Because of this act, she knew that she would be able to wear the wig, and that helped her a lot. It alleviated some of the stress of the brain surgery, knowing that she didn’t have to worry about the price of a wig,” Magalie said.
According to Magalie, “the day of the surgery everything went well, and everyone was very relieved.” At the time of this writing, Sylvie is recovering from surgery. We at Random Acts are wishing you well, Sylvie!
