::VERONICA FUNK::
  • Journal
  • Portfolio
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Portraits >
      • Woman's Work
      • Extraordinary Women
      • The Grandmothers
      • Wunderland
      • Nasty Women
      • Heroes
      • Ahead of Their Time
    • 52 WEEKS >
      • Wildlife
      • Wildflowers
      • Storytellers
      • Gratitude
    • Fashion Plates
    • Sacred Vessel
    • Simple Pleasures
    • Altered Books
    • Free Art Resources
  • Galleries
  • eCourses
  • Login
    • Painting Animals
    • Painting Art Journals
    • Painting Backgrounds
    • Painting Bees
    • Painting Canoes
    • Painting CityScapes
    • Painting Flowers
    • Painting Hearts & Houses
    • Painting Landscapes
    • Painting Portraits
  • Contact

Woman's Work::Kat Hoult

1/30/2023

 
Picture
"​Standing up at the front of the class, I peered out at my classmates. Aged eight, I was a confident little girl, but couldn’t help feeling slightly nervous. Taking a deep breath, I said, ‘I have alopecia. My hair might fall out.’ A few weeks before, my mum, Pat, had taken me to a dermatologist after discovering a bald patch, the size of a 20-cent piece, on the crown of my head. Officially diagnosing me, the specialist was unable to explain why I had the condition. I had no family history and I wasn’t experiencing stress, which can be a trigger. ‘You might lose patches or all your hair might fall out, it’s hard to say,’ he said, prescribing a steroid ointment to slow the progress. But within eight weeks of my diagnosis, my thick, luscious strawberry blonde hair had all fallen out. It was traumatic, as clumps fell out on my pillow, in the shower and even into my food. ‘I don’t want to lose my hair,’ I sobbed to Mum. ‘It’ll be okay, darl’,’ she soothed. Out in public, everyone stared at me. Most people presumed I was sick with cancer. At school I took it in my stride at first. But that all changed when I started high school. Suddenly, it was all about looks. My mates avoided inviting me to sleepovers, as they spent the evening braiding each other’s hair. I felt like an outcast. My nan, Margaret, made me crochet hats which I wore 24/7. I felt safe under the hats. They were my armour. At times, tiny tufts of hair would appear and I’d get excited, but then they’d fall out too. I also lost my lashes and brows, but luckily they both grew back. When I was 15, my hair started growing back much more than usual. Incredibly, after 12 months, my strawberry strands had grown down to my shoulders. Every time I ran my fingers through my shiny hair, I felt a burst of excitement. And having hair brought new experiences. Boys were noticing me and I had a surge of confidence. Starting a part-time job, I made new mates, not having to worry about my previous baldness. The next few years were bliss, I even got a boyfriend, called Chris. But when I was 21, I noticed my hairline was getting thinner. My heart sank each time I found a bald patch.
 
Desperately trying to cover it up, I’d wear thick headbands or put my hair in a ponytail. Eventually, my hair was drastically thinner and I knew I had to tell Chris. ‘It’s okay, I’m here for you,’ he promised. Soon, I was completely bald again. For the first time, I decided to get a wig. I opted for a suction wig, which fits securely onto the scalp. Putting on my new blonde wig and looking into the mirror, I felt great. Starting a new job, it meant I didn’t have to tell them about my condition. So I wore the wig everywhere, including when Chris and I got married in 2006. When I gave birth to our daughter, Isabella, I did decide to leave it at home – and my obstetrician didn’t even recognise me! No-one could say if Isabella would inherit my alopecia, but I checked her hair every day, desperately hoping she wouldn’t. And when our son, Michael, was born, I did the same with him.
 
My own hair journey continued to be a battle, as it occasionally grew and then fell out again. I became quite obsessed, counting every strand that fell out. But I knew I couldn’t do this anymore. Hair was consuming my every thought. ‘I’m tired of living like this. I’m going to shave all my hair off and no longer cover it up,’ I told Chris when our kids were aged 11 and nine. Chris was cautious, but supported me in my decision. And when my best mate Nat shaved it all off for me, I felt utter freedom. ‘You look incredible,’ she gushed. I got stares when I was out, but I no longer cared. In fact, I felt empowered. ‘Beautiful, Mummy,’ the kids said. Six months later, having fully embraced my baldness, my heart dropped one day, when I was doing Isabella’s hair and found a bald patch. Also the size of a 20-cent piece, it was almost in exactly the same place as mine had been. Weeks later, she was diagnosed with alopecia. Knowing everything I’d been through, I couldn’t bear the thought of my little girl also experiencing it. Another six months later, we were dealt a second blow when Michael was also diagnosed. Now both my babies were going to go through the same thing I had. I was devastated. But then I thought about the fact I was now embracing and celebrating my own baldness. I could be their role model, I thought. ‘Hair isn’t important,’ I told them. ‘Look at me, I’m still doing amazing things.’ I even started an Instagram account @katslife_lesshair – hoping to inspire my kids as well as others. My attitude was ‘No hair? No worries!’ Unfortunately, both Isabella, now 13, and Michael, 11, have lost around 80 per cent of their hair. But I know that both my kids are strong enough to get through it. Whenever they feel down, I remind them that it’s okay not to have hair. We are so much more than our appearance." ~ Kat Hoult

Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Journal
  • Portfolio
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Portraits >
      • Woman's Work
      • Extraordinary Women
      • The Grandmothers
      • Wunderland
      • Nasty Women
      • Heroes
      • Ahead of Their Time
    • 52 WEEKS >
      • Wildlife
      • Wildflowers
      • Storytellers
      • Gratitude
    • Fashion Plates
    • Sacred Vessel
    • Simple Pleasures
    • Altered Books
    • Free Art Resources
  • Galleries
  • eCourses
  • Login
    • Painting Animals
    • Painting Art Journals
    • Painting Backgrounds
    • Painting Bees
    • Painting Canoes
    • Painting CityScapes
    • Painting Flowers
    • Painting Hearts & Houses
    • Painting Landscapes
    • Painting Portraits
  • Contact