Courtenay-Comox MLA Ronna Rae Leonard is used to the spotlight in her lengthy political career, but a recent diagnosis initially found her pulling away from the public eye.

About 10 years ago, she noticed hair loss around her scalp line and her hair receding from her forehead. She was diagnosed with frontal fibrosing alopecia 乌鸦传媒� a form of scarring hair loss, which means hair will not grow back.

乌鸦传媒淚 lost my eyebrows and all the hair on my arms and legs 乌鸦传媒� and it was not a good thing,乌鸦传媒� she says as the next guest on The Record乌鸦传媒檚 Off The Page podcast, set to be released July 20.

乌鸦传媒淵ou start to ask why? And there was no particular reason 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 a new kind of alopecia. So it乌鸦传媒檚 not something that I inherited from somebody else. (My doctor) also told me that more and more women are starting to present with this pattern of baldness.乌鸦传媒�

Balancing public life and the loss of her hair, Leonard experienced a multitude of emotions from frustration, anger and grief.

She understood the social stigmas of women and hair and felt added pressure being a public figure. She worried about her wig falling off and exposing her scalp and what people would associate with her hair loss.

乌鸦传媒�(The) other piece of it is people will look at you and think that you乌鸦传媒檙e not well 乌鸦传媒� (but) I乌鸦传媒檓 totally well; I couldn乌鸦传媒檛 be healthier. Unfortunately, because of the role of hair in our society, it is more than just skin deep.乌鸦传媒�

In June at a meeting with the NDP caucus, Leonard made the decision to remove her wig for the first time in front of her colleagues. It was in front of what she refers to as a 乌鸦传媒榮afe audience乌鸦传媒� and was nervous, but notes she knew there was a bigger picture to her decision 乌鸦传媒� being in the public and reaching out to others in a similar situation to show support and solidarity.

乌鸦传媒淚 thought that I might do it while I was in Victoria before the end of session, but I just didn乌鸦传媒檛 have the courage to do it. And it really took that backing to know that these people would be there for me. And it really demonstrated to me what the word encouraged means: it乌鸦传媒檚 people that give you courage.乌鸦传媒�

Once the wig came off, she received a kiss on the head from Premier John Horgan and posted a series of photos on Twitter showing her decision to remove her wig.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e heard from the opposition as well as my own colleagues and from strangers to applaud what I乌鸦传媒檝e done. And people who have alopecia have shared that information and talked about what their experiences are 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 just so important.乌鸦传媒�

As for how the experience has changed her perspective on women乌鸦传媒檚 hair and its role in society, you乌鸦传媒檒l have to listen to the podcast to find out.

To listen to the full episode, download Off The Page on , and everywhere podcasts are heard, or visit . New episodes of Off The Page drop every Wednesday.

To submit podcast topics or guest ideas, email offthepage@comoxvalleyrecord.com.