“People just cannot stop staring at my head when I go out. Some of them even chant ‘takli takli‘ when they see me,” Nida says, rather chirpily.

Nida Hasan Fancy, a BNU graduate, is an all rounder.

She has worked as a journalist, in marketing, as an art director for feature films and has recently launched her own furniture business.

Quite recently, Nida has become an inspiration to many. Almost 2 months back, after the horrendous crash of flight PK 661, it suddenly struck her that she could not allow her 2016 to end so dark. She had to do something to compensate for the monstrosity that 2016 had been and hence, decided to shave her head in order to donate her hair  to an independent organization ‘Hair to Help’ that works to create wigs for the cancer patients.

“I used to have rainbow colored hair before. Little girls, fascinated by my hair color, would gather around me to have a closer look while the relatively older people would give me rather disapproving looks. It never really bothered me honestly. When I got my head completely shaved, the reactions were more or less the same; my children approved while the adults in the family were taken aback,” told Nida while talking to Mangobaaz about her act of kindness.

Nida was criticized, both in the offline and online world, for shaving off her hair by choice. 

“The reason I had to shave my head completely is because my hair were dyed previously and even though the chemicals had washed down, I still needed to donate as much virgin hair as I could, from my forehead to the nape.”

Nida has two kids, both under the age of 4. And they were fascinated by their mother’s bald head.

“They come and rub my head every time I come home. I feel like I am breaking stereotypes within my own home. I don’t think I have done something really big. I just wanted to do something and so I did.”

A number of people suffering from Cancer have contacted Nida and the responses so far have been overwhelming.

Nida plans on starting a support group for cancer patients who do not have anyone to vent to. In Nida’s view, it’s not mostly the disease that kills people, it’s the loneliness.

Nida also plans on addressing body shaming as well because she has experienced it first hand after getting her head shaved.

Here’s to empathy being more common. Nida, you inspire us and we hope you can continue to inspire us for years and years to come.