After experiencing hair loss because of her sickle cell anemia therapies, a teen named Eleora Ogundare got down to assist different folks dealing with comparable predicaments. Now, the 15-year-old is conducting this mission by her and her mom’s booming enterprise: Eleora Beauty.
During a chat with CBC News, Eleora appeared again on the journey that led her thus far, which started when she was identified with sickle cell anemia at simply 8 years outdated. As a results of her chemotherapy therapies, Eleora started to expertise hair loss, which took fairly a toll.
“My hair was my confidence because the kids I was around, they had like the long, nice long hair.”
Eleora and her mom, Eugenia Ogundare, in the end determined to shave her head to be able to get the method over with.
“The thing that was like giving me confidence, I didn’t have it anymore. I had to cut it all off.”
Her Mom Sought To Help However She Could
In response to her daughter’s scenario, Eugenia needed to assist enhance Eleora’s confidence, as she acknowledged that the hair loss might have an effect on her sense of “identity.”
“The struggle for them is identity, you know, trying to understand why their hair is not as silky as the next person in her class.”
Eugenia additionally famous that, whereas a Black lady’s hair is her “crown,” it’s “a whole different ball game altogether” when one loses her beloved tresses.
As a outcome, Eugenia devoted time to experimenting with completely different hair oils and lotions till she developed her very personal system to assist Eleora’s hair develop again. Notably, she says that customers’ edges are proof that her product can work wonders.
“One of the problems Black women actually face would be the edges, so that’s the first thing we get, that, ‘Oh, it actually works for my edges. And then we get the mothers who say, ‘Oh, my daughter’s hair was hard to manage. It’s more manageable [now].’”
Teen entrepreneur makes use of childhood sickness as launchpad to assist different Black women and girls https://t.co/52j1TMsaUA
— calgarynews (@calgarynews) January 10, 2023
Bringing In Self-Love, Awareness, & Confidence
Adedoyin Omotara—a salon proprietor in Calgary, Alberta—sells Eleora Beauty at her store, and she or he notes the significance of Black women discovering merchandise that “can actually work for [their] hair.”
“It’s a huge part of what makes us us, especially physically, but we need to understand the impact it has on us inside..For younger people, they need to understand that there are products that can actually work for our hair so that they don’t start to put toxic product in their hair just to want to look like another Sharon on the street.”
The salon proprietor added, “Whatever problems we have in our community, we remain the solution to those problems.”
Regarding this level, Eleora notes that she thinks she’s “making a difference in young girls’ lives.”
“When I was younger, I kinda wish I had something like this too, to make me feel more confident. But I’m happy that I’m doing it now to help other people.”
Shoutout to Eleora and Eugenia Ogundare, and we want them properly on their journey to assist different Black women who’re experiencing hair loss!
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