October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but I don’t have to tell you that. I named this blog “Learning By Heart”
partly because hairdressers have the biggest hearts in the world. As a profession you raise awareness among your clients as well as a ton of money to benefit breast cancer organizations. Groups of cosmetologists regularly participate in the Race for the Cure. Since this blog is about
hair education, I’m going to ask you to also do some educating, because not all of your clients are as aware as you are.
You probably have an over-40 client who hasn’t “had time” to have a mammogram, another who doesn’t bother doing monthly self-checks between mammograms and a third who feels a lump but is scared to get a medical opinion. You may be saving a life just by wearing a pink ribbon or placing a sign on your station that urges women to get their tests done and find the answers they need.
I want to personally thank you hairdressers for all that you do to help eradicate this terrible disease that steals mothers from their children and daughters from their parents. In 2002, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My treatment included a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. It’s six years later, and so far so good. As I did then, I continue to have tremendous support from the salon community. At the time, I wrote up my experiences for MODERN SALON; it’s posted online at
firstchair.com.