Bald Barbie is Beautiful!

When Raylee's hair started falling out we knew we had to shave it. She didn't want to. Jerry tried to talk her into it but she refused. At this time she was still 2-years-old (almost 3) but she was still self-consious about losing her hair even at this young of an age. Jerry grabbed a Barbie doll which both my girls absolutely love! They get that from me :) He showed Raylee the Barbie and asked her, "Is Barbie pretty?" Raylee said, "Yes." He shaved off the Barbie's hair and held her up and asked Raylee the same thing, "Is Barbie still pretty?" Raylee said, "Yes." Jerry then explained to his little daughter that Barbie is still pretty with or without hair and she too will still be pretty. Only after seeing the Barbie without hair was Raylee okay with shaving hers off.

There is a lot of talk about Matel making a bald Barbie to support all those girls who experience cancer. I am hearing about several mothers (especially ones who have experienced a daughter, or sister, or friend with cancer) are for this, where other women are rejecting it. I've been told some mothers are against it because they don't want to have to have that difficult conversation with their child why there is a bald Barbie. This is really frustrating to me and I am really upset about this. If you really think having a conversation to your child why there is a bald Barbie is difficult, try having one with your child that they may die because they have cancer, or with their sibling explaining their little sister could die! That is the most difficult conversation I ever had to have with Jorja or Raylee. I figure now, anything will be easy to talk about compared to "Raylee could die!" It wasn't just one conversation either. Jorja had a lot of questions and this conversation happened day-after-day for months; because she was concerned and scared for Raylee.

To all those non-supporters of a bald Barbie I would like to say, Cancer is real and real in Children!! The more awareness that is out there, the better, why not!?!? If you don't think your child could get cancer, guess what? They can. Cancer isn't a disgusting thing to avoid talking to kids about, it doesn't have to be scary, and it doesn't have to be shameful, it doesn't have to be something to avoid. The more we know, and our children know, the more support there is for those children and their families who are experiencing this. I never thought one of my children would get cancer, I didn't really know it was possible. I wish there was a bald Barbie to give Raylee when she was in treatment and lost her hair. It would have made it so much easier to explain why it was falling out and why she was bald instead of talking a Barbie a shaving her head. Guess what? That conversation about her losing her hair wasn't an easy one to have with her either.

Someone on a news report said, if Matel makes a cancer Barbie they might as well make a drug addict Barbie. Really?? Are people that uneducated they are comparing having cancer to having an addiction to drugs?

The entire point to having a Cancer Barbie who is bald, is showing baldness is beautiful. Because so many women, teenage girls, and little girls experience chemotherapy and lose their hair, there needs to be a bigger voice then just those around them telling them they are still beautiful! Why not Barbie who is a popular icon for girls? I love and support the idea! If you don't like the idea, just don't buy the Barbie--and count your blessings if you don't ever have to, or if YOU don't ever have to have those difficult conversations with your daughter because she is experiencing cancer!