A bald Barbie?

What started as an online petition is stating to make national headlines. Two women started a petition addressed to the Mattel company to create a bald Barbie, a toy they say will be a symbol of support for girls undergoing cancer treatment or who experience baldness for other reasons. Mattel has been non-committal, saying they receive numerous suggestions for new dolls. But what support of the petition perhaps points to is the strong desire that patients have to affirm and even normalize their experience, especially the experiences of young patients and their families. A doll may not seem like much, but it may carry great symbolic value to a child who doesn't feel normal.