The proceeds will go to paying the medical grade wigs for cancer patients would not have otherwise been able to afford them, writes Taro Kaneko

A new charity shop opening in Harringay will support cancer patients experiencing hair loss to buy medical wigs.

‘The Heroes Haven’ in Green Lanes will raise money to pay for high-grade medical wigs.

Kaz Foncette, founder of the Wigs For Heroes charity, will be officially launching the shop tomorrow (Tuesday 1st) after winning £70,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund in June 2023. The new shop will replace the Snug Art Café at 549 Green Lanes (N8 0RL).

The proceeds from the shop will go to paying the medical grade wigs for cancer patients would not have otherwise been able to afford them.

Kaz, who is expecting her first child in a few weeks, has been diagnosed with breast cancer twice since 2017. She has now had to manage both her pregnancy and the shop’s construction simultaneously.

“It has been a lot but I am excited,” the Tottenham resident said.

“Medical wigs, that are for everyday use, cost over £2,000. I want to remove the financial difficulty of buying a wig for those that need it – 80% of Wigs For Heroes money goes towards paying for cancer patient’s medical wigs.”

The content creator, who had previously worked in human resources, has built the charity shop from the ground up alongside her husband.

Partnering with Hair To Ware, a hair loss clinic affiliated with the NHS, has given Kaz the opportunity to build a cancer support centre in a borough that she said lacks cancer services.

She added: “There are not many options for high-quality medical grade wigs in Haringey. Some people are too scared of losing their hair.

“It is not about vanity, it is a traumatising experience.”

Find out more about Wigs for Heroes:
Visit wigsforheroes.org

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