Everyone has a reason as to why they begin to do charitable work. It can be the need to give back for unexpected gain in their lives or for someone who affected your life. My reason was to honor my mom, who died of colon cancer in 1964. At that time, there weren’t any oncologists. There weren’t any chemotherapy, cancer wards, or support groups. You were put in with the general hospital patient population and were told to pray for a good result. I was 12 when she died.
In the hair loss business, we work a great deal with people dealing with medical hair loss due to cancer. Being the first physical sign that you have cancer, it is devastating. These people broke my heart. I witnessed a mother outside the styling room crying and feeling helpless because of her daughter’s illness. I have seen sisters and daughters caring so kindly for their moms. I decided to contact the American Cancer Society to donate some time. I ended up working with the LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER program. This was great but not enough.
The Cancer Society gives a free wig to those with medical-related hair loss. The wigs are thick and not of the highest quality. I knew how to cut down and thin out a wig quickly and effectively. I realized this small contribution would mean SO much to those I worked with, and it was straightforward. This brought me the 2012 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD. I was cutting down wigs during lunch hour when I was working for my employer.
In 2014, I went on my own. The girls who came to work for me were encouraged to follow suit with this endeavor. I dropped our cards at various cancer treatment centers and told them about our mission to help.
My girls felt terrific about this. Charitable giving is refreshing and public-spirited, and I saw the effect of their benevolent actions on them. They embraced the activity, and it made them feel good about sharing their talent in an altruistic manner.
Although we carry a great line of synthetic, hybrid, and human hair wigs to sell, we embrace providing free work to those in need. Paul McCartney says, “The love you make is equal to the love you take.” I respectfully disagree with Sir Paul. We have gotten 10 times more back from our free work. It has enhanced our standing in the Niles, Illinois, community and surrounding suburbs, and it has given us a reason to be proud of our talent. I encourage everyone to participate in a charitable endeavor. It will reward you in ways you would never imagine.
- Written By: Christine Pusateri
