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Bald Barbie? Group Lobbies Toy Company for Doll to Help Kids Cope With Cancer

Jan. 11, 2012 8:19pm Madeleine Morgenstern

A Facebook campaign is underway to persuade Barbie toy maker Mattel to make a "Beautiful and Bald Barbie." (Image source: Facebook)

NEW YORK (The Blaze/AP) — Barbie has been an astronaut, an architect, a NASCAR driver, and a news anchor.

Now, there’s an online movement to get her to attempt what could be her biggest feat yet: going bald to fight cancer.

A Facebook page titled “Beautiful and Bald Barbie! Let’s see if we can get it made” was started a few days before Christmas. By Wednesday evening, the page had more than 20,000 fans. The goal is to get toy maker Mattel Inc. to create a bald Barbie in support of children with cancer.

Friends Rebecca Sypin and Jane Bingham, who live on opposite coasts but have both been affected by the disease, hatched the idea to use Barbie for the movement because she’s such a popular children’s toy.

Bingham has lost her hair due to chemotherapy treatments to treat lymphoma. Sypin’s 12-year-old daughter, Kin Inich, also lost her hair this year in her own battle with leukemia.

Mattel didn’t return calls on Wednesday seeking comment, but the women said they have contacted the company through some general form letters. In return, they said, they’ve received form letters that say Mattel doesn’t accept ideas from outside sources.

Last year, Mattel created a one-of-a-kind bald Barbie for a 4-year-old girl undergoing cancer treatment, New York CBS affiliate WCBS-TV reported.

The women say making a bald Barbie available for everyone would provide a huge platform to raise awareness for children with cancer.

Advocates say simply cutting or shaving the hair off an existing Barbie isn't acceptable — doing so results in patchy, unsightly clumps. (Image source: Facebook)

Barbie, all 11.5 inches of her, is one of the best-known toys of all time. She can sell for $10 at Wal-Mart or $7,000 on eBay.

Barbie also has taken on all sorts of incarnations throughout her nearly 53 years of existence, crushing stereotypes and showing little girls that they can be whatever they want to be. There’s been an elegant Grace Kelly Barbie; a Barbie in thigh-high pink boots; a tattooed Barbie; a pregnant Barbie friend, and another Barbie friend in a wheelchair.

But Barbie has also been dissed for not being as socially responsible as she could be. She’s best known for her curves, which long have sparked complaints by women’s groups that say she imposes an unachievable physical standard on young girls. She also was lambasted when a talking version uttered an exclamation about math class being hard.

The friends who started the “Beautiful and Bald Barbie” movement aren’t natural activists. Sypin, 32, is a special-education teacher’s aide in Lancaster, Calif. Bingham, 41, is a photographer in Sewell, N.J.

“We’re not demanding that the company do anything,” Sypin said Wednesday. “We’re just hoping somebody sees this and can help us make it happen.”

Overall, Sypin said she’s been pleased with the response to the Facebook page. For instance, one fan of the page wrote of Mattel: “If they are making dolls that are inspiring young girls with careers then why not make a doll that would inspire young girls who are dealing with Cancer.”

Some commenters even suggested the friends extend the movement to include a boys’ toy. So, over the weekend, the women started an accompanying Facebook page, “Bald G.I. Joe Movement.”

Hasbro Inc., the maker of G.I. Joe, didn’t immediately return a call for comment.

The movement has its critics, too.

Some people have told the women to just take a normal Barbie and shave her hair off to make the same point. Bingham posted photos where she did just that – resulting in patchy, unattractive clumps on Barbie’s head. She also posted digitally doctored pictures of a bald Barbie to show how beautiful the doll could be.

And to people who say that it makes more sense to just donate to cancer research rather than to buy a bald Barbie?

“A lot of these people wouldn’t have even thought about doing that without this movement,” Bingham said.

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Comments (84)

Chris
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:27pm
How about a “Jihad Ken” doll? They wouldn’t even have to assemble the suicide bomber version – they could just throw a bunch of Ken parts in the box and let the kids scatter them around when they played with them. After that could be the “72 virgin accessory kit” – Now with extra sheep!

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- LeadNotFollow
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 12:55am
  CHRIS…
  Your Ken Doll comment was pretty funny. Thanks for the good laugh.
  
  Report this comment
- marion
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:34am
  Yeah, that was definitely a good laught, thanks.
  
  On a more serious note now, hey, life can be a little tough, but this isn’t going to do anything but increase the dall wig market. There is so much emphasis given to “help everyone” cope with everything that is is nauseating. Things are made so soft for everyone that they don’t even know how to use a swing without being pushed, but they can tell you that throwing a snotrag into the garbage instead of the recycle bin will warm the planet.
  
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- loriann12
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:07am
  I had a raggedy ann doll when I was about 4. It was homemade by my baby sitter, who made one for all the girls. I forget what she got the boys. When I got glasses at 5, my brother and I drew glasses on my Raggedy Ann with a permanent marker. Having dolls that look like the children who play with them is a good idea. I think had I gotten cancer as a child, I probably would have just cut all the **** off my doll. Don’t they already have one that you can cut and it comes back? That would be ideal. What about when the child’s **** grows back? They will want their doll to triumph, too.
  
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- Sagacious
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:20pm
  LOL.that is funny!!
  
  Report this comment
- smithclar3nc3
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:08pm
  What’s next a barbie with one breast because she had breast cancer?
  
  Report this comment
- smithclar3nc3
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:14pm
  Maybe a Barbie with one eye whose back story was that she had lawn dart accident. Or a barbie in a halo device that was driving and texting. Or one that missing a foot because she ate too much sugar got diabetes and had to have her foot removed. Or how about a barbie that really thin with scabs on her that got HIV from unprotected sex or sharing needles. Maybe a muslim barbie that was the victim of an acid attack because she tried to go to school or refuse to marry some radical islamist….the list goes on and on
  
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- smithclar3nc3
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:18pm
  One more a barbie that comes with a fannel shirt,work boots and fake beard who went to one to many indigo girl concerts……LOL
  
  Report this comment
- 2theADDLED
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:48pm
  I’m still waiting for my obese Skank Barbie and the trailer trash Barbie !
  
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- 2theADDLED
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:03pm
  Where’s the boob job, plastic surgery and Botox Barbie AKA Nancy.
  
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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:27pm
.
Looks like my lil’ sisters Barbie after my G.I. Joe set her **** on fire…….

She has never forgiven me LOL……..

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tbone0106
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:42pm
Darmok, yes!!! Exactly what I thought when I first saw the picture! But on further reflection, the doll smiles perpetually, and Sinead does not… ever. (She’s much too serious.) Also, Sinead ain’t got them hoots, nor that ****, nor those astounding long legs…

Making a political correctness issue out of any toy is a sure sign that this society is in decline. It is proof positive that there are way too many people in this country who simply don’t have enough to do.

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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:58pm
  I bet the barbie doll would stay married longer too.
  
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- anOpinion
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:06am
  Its not political correctness. If this version of a doll can make a kid with cancer smile then I’m all for it.
  
  Report this comment
vaughan
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:11pm
Such a bad idea. What idiot thought this up? One of the most devastating results of chemo is **** loss especially for girls and women so why would anyone want to remind us of such a thing.

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- Detroit paperboy
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:30am
  as long as they have beer gut ken, im cool with it……
  
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- ProbIemSoIver
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:43am
  Exactly. The mind is a very powerful thing. The thought of Cancer, The worry of cancer and the sight of cancer (bald barbie) can bring cancer on.
  This is why the Powers that be, remind men about their prostate daily.
  It creates the problem, in addition to the preservatives in our food and drinks and the GMO’s.
  They want us to ingest their crap to make us ill, to peddle their Pharmaceuticals.
  
  Report this comment
MCDAVE
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:04pm
Mattel Inc..Like any company; has to base decisions on sales potential,,Imagine what might happen to sales if they mass produced a Michell Obama Barbie…there stocks would crash and the tax payers would have to do another billion dollar bailout

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Tri-ox
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:01pm
Wonderful – another stupid idea.

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The Eradicator
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:57pm
… *Sigh* …

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semihardrock
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:49pm
The OWS Barbie- comes with a tent, bag of heroin and a rape kit.

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- KangarooJack
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:56pm
  THANK YOU! Thank you for my biggest belly laugh of the day! :)
  
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- CatB
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:29pm
  Oh .. yes .. and it has an “odor” also!
  
  As for the Cancer Barbie….
  
  This is stupid .. if they want such a doll .. develope and market it yourself! Why do they always try to force bad ideas and potential loss of capital on others? Spend your own money.
  
  Report this comment
- ADNIL
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:59am
  Divorce Barbie comes with all of Ken’s stuff.
  
  Report this comment
Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:33pm
Lets let kids be kids and stop trying to preach a lesson to them in every corner of life.

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- The-Monk
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:48pm
  Amen!!!!
  
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abbygirl1994
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:27pm
Oh brother.. a bald Barbie with boobs.. Hey mom and dad, how about a bald baby doll.. without the boobs.. Give Barbie to pre teens who have boobs.. oh yeah they are at school being subjected to watching video’s on how gays get it on.. The devil is having a hayday.. grab your children and run like hell.. And those Mommy and Dads who want to give their little ones Barbie with boobs, instead, how about you take an old Barbie and have a **** shaving show.. because isn’t that what your child had?? God help us!

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- KangarooJack
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:59pm
  I believe the post might have something to do with the woman who gave her 7yr old daughter vouchers for a boob job and other plastic surgery?
  Actually, it’s quite relevant in context when you think about it.
  
  Report this comment
laserblast
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:26pm
What about obese barbie? How does it make the kids who are fat feel about having to play with anorexic dolls?

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LeadNotFollow
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:21pm
Why not have a bald Barbie. If the Bald Barbie doesn’t sell too well to it’s intended market (those afflicted with cancer), the lesbian market will fill the sales void.

One recommendation to Mattel. If you want cancer victims to purchase Bald Barbie, add an assortment of wigs, scarves, hats, and head bands to the package or else she will just come across as Lesbian Barbie.

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nosharia
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:15pm
The Gerson Barbie.

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The-Monk
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:10pm
Does Bald Barbie come complete with her own Marijuana stash? I wouldn’t put it past these Progressives to try to get Children smoking weed at an early age. I remember those fist fu@king kits handed out at schools to students.Don’t believe me? See the links below;

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2009/12/fistgate-ii-high-school-students-given-fisting-kits-at-kevin-jennings-glsen-conference/

http://biggovernment.com/jhoft/2009/12/08/fistgate-ii-high-school-students-given-fisting-kits-at-kevin-jennings-2001-glsen-conference/

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- The-Monk
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:21pm
  At the second link look for, ” Barack Obama’s “Safe Schools Czar” Kevin Jennings is the founder of GLSEN.” Progressives are really sick people. Can’t wait for BHO’s Children to start their Progressive sickness training. Maybe they (BHO and MO) will see the light of their sickness and straighten up!
  
  http://biggovernment.com/jhoft/2009/12/08/fistgate-ii-high-school-students-given-fisting-kits-at-kevin-jennings-2001-glsen-conference/
  
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disenlightened
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:06pm
And how about Transgender Barbie, the one with the detachable penis and wig?

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- lukerw
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:13pm
  How about… a Casey Anthony… Barbie?
  
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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:00pm
  Luke
  They already have a trailor trash barbie.
  
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kentuckylady
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:05pm
Im all for it. Children need to know that beauty comes from within. Ive never had to deal with cancer with anyone close to me, so I hope I havent said anything to offend anyone.

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- Bro Geo Too
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:45pm
  On the contrary, KL, your post was positive and empathetic, a real thoroughbred.
  
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- Marine25
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:57pm
  No, KentuckyLady, your sentiments are appropriate and welcome. The rest of the posts here are people proving they will take literally any opportunity to show their ignorance and bigotry.
  
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- momrules
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:22pm
  You are right of course and don’t worry about offending anyone on this site. Speak your mind, always, and let the chips fall where they may. God bless.
  
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- FoxholeAtheist
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 12:45pm
  Thank you.
  
  This really is a good idea. Any help at all or joy it might bring to a dying child is a good thing. I don’t think any of these people understand what it is like for a family and a child to have to go through something like this. They don’t understand how painful it is both emotionally and physically; and if they do, they sure are living up to their Xtian name in their outright attack of this idea. They are showing their true colors.
  
  Any god that allows a fate like this upon a baby isn’t worthy of my praise or worship and shouldn’t be worthy or yours, either. If these people saw how tormented these children are and what agony they go through when they suffer from this would also question their faith. To not, is to pluck out the eye of reason for all time and turn their backs on logic. I implore each and every one of you to walk through a cancer ward and see just how ineffective your useless prayer is when the chemotherapy doesn’t work anymore.
  
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kickagrandma
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:53pm
I think Barbies are slut dolls anyway. They are false. They are PLASTIC (hello Nancy P and all other women full of toxic chemicals) which look PLASTIC and falsely “young”. They are false ideals to which young men try to reach and cannot except by being “plasticized”. I could go on and on.

I HATED Barbie from the get-go. I was trying to rear a small daughter whose errant dad and his girl friends thought Barbie was just the thing….I loved the baby dolls that made little girls want to be moms and take care of their children, not the 24/7/365 star of their own sordid tiny worlds. Barbies won for a while, but GOD won in the end. YES!

I do NOT like, never have and NEVER WILL LIKE barbies for oh, so many reasons, bald or not. To me a bald barbie supports the cancer industry. I find using a child’s toy to support the cancer industry absolutely obscene.

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- KangarooJack
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:11pm
  Hmmm, three times I wish upon your errant ex-husband a STD. Does that help?
  
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- jespasinthru
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:47pm
  Kickagrandma, quit knocking Barbie! I grew up playing with that plastic lady, and all her fashions, and all her friends. I didn’t like Ken, though. I got mama to buy me a GI Joe for Barbie’s boyfriend instead. He was half an inch taller than Ken, had jointed arms, legs and hands, and came with weapons. And I liked that trademark scar on his face. Also, he came in lots of different races. Back then, you could only get Barbie in either White or Black.
  
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- MrSunshine
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:12pm
  No disrespect inteded Grandma but what the H*** is the cancer industry?
  
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:49pm
Well, they have been making the anorexic barbie for years. Could they make the birth defect barbie, the cleft lip barbie, the crack/meth head barbie. How about the male prostitute Ken doll.
They could make the “Mad Black Woman” Barbie, and the Wealth Redistribution Ken (Just make it Half Black)
They could make the Post traumatic stress disorder GI Joe (Make sure he is a Major, and kind of Islamic looking, maybe put a Psychiatrist uniform on him).
How about the Jihad Ken with Burka Barbie.
All of these would help out our kids, you know, to better understand the crappy USA we all live in.

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- Mtremblay
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:54pm
  LOL I think someone did make a welfare Barbie but will they make an OWS one too?
  
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- mccracken
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:58pm
  Blazer Barbie with GBTV, obsessed with Moochelle, hoarding food and stockpiling gold.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:40pm
  @Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  “While tending to Dathon’s wounds, Picard deduces that Darmok and Jalad were two warriors who met on an island called Tanagra, and had to cooperate to defeat a dangerous beast dwelling there, becoming friends in the process. Dathon tried to recreate this event between him and Picard on El-Adrel, hoping that their shared adversity would forge a friendship where words had failed.”
  
  Great name for a “The Blaze” account: ‘Cooperate to defeat a dangerous beast dwelling there, becoming friends in the process.” Sounds like what we are doing here. Defeat the communist, socialist and Marxist and become friends in the process. I love it! Keep up the good work.
  
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- booger71
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:47pm
  How about a McCrackhead Barbie that is obsessed with what other people are obsessed about.
  
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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:48pm
  Exactly.
  Blaze member since the day it was launched.
  
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KangarooJack
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:47pm
Bald Barbie? Easy fix-just have older brother scalp younger sister’s Barbie then voile (vwa-la)

Can we have a Port-wine stain Barbie? How about melanoma Barbie? Don’t forget Bi-polar Barbie.

Believe me, as a Cancer survivor-I’m not cracking jokes out of turn. But, I also know, sometimes you just gotta leave things be…and kids’ toys don’t need to be part of “a cause or fundraiser”. K?

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mcgrawactor1
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:46pm
I see nothing wrong with this at all. My mother suffered through cancer treatemtns for 13 years. Whenever I see a lady with a scarf on in the store, or a wig that looks obviously like a cover for a condition and they ask about it, I will make a point of telling my young kids, that she is so pretty and like all of us she is maximizing her fashion thing. This has never failed and has opened up discussion about the disease that ultimately took their grandmother’s life. Since cancer is in our family on both sides, I need to be sure they understand that and to be sure they have a healthy take on things. So far so good!! All this leads to Barbie…thank you for making my job easier. Barbie has never been a bad influence in any way in our house. Maybe cuz I parent my kids well and help them to understand who Barbie is, in her movies, in her idealized figurines, etc…Barbie is cool with my kid, cuzI I am cool with my kid and my kid is COOL. Nuff.

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- Jennifer_D
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:27pm
  @McGrawActor1
  
  My grandma passed away of cancer and one of the worst things for her was the loss of her ****. She was always so self-conscious about it when out in public. It is wonderful that you take time with your children so that they’ll understand about cancer and they won’t gawk or stare without understanding. That more than anything goes a long way in preparing children for illness/death and if the individual notices it will make them feel less self-conscious. I like that approach better than a cancer Barbie.
  
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PINCHER
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:44pm
I never realized how forward-thinking I was as a child, but there I was, churning out bald cancer-survivor Barbie with misappropriated scissors, and paraplegic athlete Ken (pulled the legs out), and of course, clothing-optional resort owner GI Joe.

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- FHNYMillie
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 9:52pm
  As I was reading the article I was thinking about how many bald Barbies my daughters had. They would give haircuts repeatedly, and eventually they had the “Bald Barbie” of 35 years in the future. Little did we know!
  
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Zcat
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:43pm
I bet if they sell this item with different style wigs as accessories it will be a big seller.

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TXPilot
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:43pm
Ok, it would seem to me that this is a bad idea. As a parent who had a sick child, the last thing a kid wants to be reminded of when they are playing, is the fact they are sick. Everyone needs a time to just forget their problems and enjoy life, and giving a kid a bald doll, because they are sick and don’t rate a “normal” one, seems to be just a bit cruel. It would just serve as an additional reminder that they are indeed different from everyone else……not cool…

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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:52pm
  They could just take all of those unsold Sinead O Connor dolls, bingo Bald Barbie.
  
  You are correct, sick kids don’t need to have someone point out they are sick. They just want to feel and be treated like they are normal. Good post.
  
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momrules
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:41pm
If this helps a child that is going through cancer treatment I am all for it. If it lightens the day for that child it will also help the parents who are going through their own hell watching their child suffer.

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- ProbIemSoIver
  Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:52am
  Yeah, 2 wrongs make a right. A person with Cancer should feel better because another person is sticken with sickness and anxiety also. Nice Mentality.
  
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diablosho
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 8:39pm
Seems like a better idea than Slut Barbie…

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