Kindly Karina has a head for helping

SELFLESS . . . 13-year-old Karina Neufeldt

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A SELFLESS 13-year-old channelled her grief of losing two grandparents into an innovative idea for a charity to help cancer patients.

Karina Neufeldt set up Comfort for Cancer in 2013, which supplies free headscarves to women who have lost their hair while undergoing chemotherapy.

Accompanied by her mum Heather and younger sister Kiera, the teenager launched the service at The Christie, at the Royal Oldham Hospital, where she donated a bundle of scarves for women who will be treated there.

Family

Although originally from Minnesota in America, Karina's family moved to Shanghai, China, nearly seven years ago.

Karina's step-grandfather's wife Mary lived in Chadderton, where she died from breast cancer which spread to her stomach.

She also has cousins in Oldham, whom she was visiting last week.

Her paternal grandmother Dagmar, whom she called Omi, died from pancreatic cancer in America in 2013. It was then she decided to set up her charity.

Karina said: "I was really close to Omi.She was really nice and helpful.

"When my grandma passed away she had a large collection of headscarves so I decided to donate them in her name.

"When I donated them I knew I wanted to do it a lot more often."

With the help of her girl scout group in Shanghai, Karina has been on a mission to collect all kinds of headscarves.

She puts them in a care package of eight scarves, as that is a lucky number in China, wrapped in a red ribbon, as red is also a lucky colour.

A handwritten card is also placed in the bundle, explaining the concept of the charity.

Karina added: "When we asked for headscarves from people, we got a few handkerchiefs rather than scarves. We got a few with skulls on, which we thought wasn't a good idea but any unsuitable scarves are donated to a different charity."

Heather (42), who owns an eco-friendly candle company explained how proud she is of Karina, who hopes to also launch the charity in Japan and Australia.

Heather said: "Both kids handle death differently. Karina tends to be quieter but wants to take action and do something to help.

"That's where the scarf idea came in. It was pretty inspiring.

"Back in Shanghai she had to work on a project with her girl scouts group.

"Three girls said someone they knew had died from cancer. Then they got motivated to collect headscarves."

Helen Murphy, Macmillan information and support centre manager, said Karina's thoughtful concept will fit in perfectly at the centre's special stylist service, which helps women going through cancer treatment to gain back their confidence.

Helen said: "It's very inspiring that somebody so young is thinking about all the people in Oldham going through cancer.

"Many women can't afford to buy headscarves. It's a nice service for people. It gives them confidence.

"A lot of ladies feel their confidence goes when they lose their hair.

"They feel a bit isolated. They don't go out.

"In some ways they're embarrassed about not having hair anymore.

"We have a service here to show them how to tie scarves, sort out wigs and how to get their confidence back.

"This is going to be an amazing help."

For more information on Comfort for Cancer, email karina.neufeldt@gmail.com.

To find out more about Macmillan's style service, call Helen on 0161-918 7745 or email helen.murphy@christie.nhs.uk.