Some dolls that look very different from the norm are on store shelves thanks, in part, to one New Jersey mom and cancer patient.
Jane Bingham was diagnosed with an incurable form of Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2007.
"My boys were just turning teenagers and my daughter was four at the time."
For five years, doctors were able to keep the cancer in check with immunotherapy. But it stopped working. She had to turn to chemotherapy.
Only then did her daughter realize that her mom was sick.
"She always knew me as long blond hair and she said numerous times she missed my hair, she wished i didn't have to lose my hair, and that was her big focus, was the hair."
Her daughter's experience prompted Bingham form Jane Bingham the Beautiful and Bald Movement, and petition toy companies to manufacture a bald doll. She says it can be used to help children understand hair loss, even embrace it.
"It can represent a child with alopecia, it can represent a child with cancer also for children who've got a family member going through it like my daughter."
Companies listened: MGA Entertainment has created Bald Moxie and Bratz dolls as part of a new collection. Mattel has promised to manufacture 10,000 "beautiful and bald" friends of Barbie.
Bingham says her passion is helping others.
"It's important to focus your energies outward instead of just focusing inward of yourself."
(Susan Hendricks for CNN's Health Minute)
Jane Bingham was diagnosed with an incurable form of Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2007.
"My boys were just turning teenagers and my daughter was four at the time."
For five years, doctors were able to keep the cancer in check with immunotherapy. But it stopped working. She had to turn to chemotherapy.
Only then did her daughter realize that her mom was sick.
"She always knew me as long blond hair and she said numerous times she missed my hair, she wished i didn't have to lose my hair, and that was her big focus, was the hair."
Her daughter's experience prompted Bingham form Jane Bingham the Beautiful and Bald Movement, and petition toy companies to manufacture a bald doll. She says it can be used to help children understand hair loss, even embrace it.
"It can represent a child with alopecia, it can represent a child with cancer also for children who've got a family member going through it like my daughter."
Companies listened: MGA Entertainment has created Bald Moxie and Bratz dolls as part of a new collection. Mattel has promised to manufacture 10,000 "beautiful and bald" friends of Barbie.
Bingham says her passion is helping others.
"It's important to focus your energies outward instead of just focusing inward of yourself."
(Susan Hendricks for CNN's Health Minute)
