Donna Prentice

A Facebook campaign appeal for Mattel to create a bald Barbie continues. As of January 29, 2012 it had 141,976 likes. Check it out.

Over 11,200 new cases of cancer in children under age 15 were expected to be diagnosed 2011. The figure is astounding. These children go through the same treatments as adults. The trauma of losing their hair is embarrassing to them because they are at an age when the acceptance of their friends is very important. Personal appearances are also crucial when you are young. No child wants to feel “different” than their friends.

The plea for a bald Barbie was started by Jane Bingham who lost her hair while undergoing chemotherapy along with Rebecca Sypin whose 12 year old daughter lost her hair following treatment for Leukemia.

It is important for everybody to feel good about themselves when fighting a serious disease. Not only would this Barbie be good therapy for the child undergoing the treatment but also for other children to understand that it’s okay to be different.

Mattel could do a good thing with this Bald Barbie. Not only would they be creating something that a child could relate to but they could also give part of the proceeds to cancer research. Mattel already has a prototype.

As a child I played with Barbie. I dressed her up, I put her in pajamas, I fixed her hair and changed her shoes. She was an important part of my childhood. She could be an even more important part of someone else’s childhood.

Do you support the Facebook effort to try to convince Mattel to make this Bald Barbie?

Graphic Credit:
Animationfactory.com