SEBASTIAN — For the fourth year in a row, Francesca’s Hair Cutters opened its doors on a Sunday to host a cut-a-thon in which all proceeds went to the American Cancer Society to find a cure for cancer.
“Everyone’s life is touched by cancer,” said Debbie Chorma, the event’s organizer and spokesperson.
Chorma listed her father, grandmother, and a handful of other family members and friends who have either battled with or are currently fighting cancer, including Francesca Runion, the owner of the salon.
In support of her family and friends, Chorma has dedicated years of her life to participating in and organizing events to support the American Cancer Society through Relay For Life.
Runion and three other hairdressers volunteered their time to give haircuts, while other volunteers manned the refreshments table, attracted attention from the sidewalk with signs, and even shampooed clients’ hair.
“The first thing [Francesca] told us was to hold on to the nozzle so we don’t accidentally spray someone,” said Joan Krajack, a volunteer at the shampoo station.
Krajack said she came into Francesca’s for a haircut two years ago and has stayed friends with Runion ever since. Krajack and fellow volunteer, Donna Urban teased about their “shampoo training” from that morning, saying they had only accidentally sprayed each other.
“We haven’t sprayed any customers yet,” Krajack said.
“We’re not customers, we’re supporters,” said Tabby Esposito, who had her head in the shampoo bowl.
“I usually only cut my hair once a year, but today I made an exception,” Esposito said.
Esposito’s 16-year-old daughter, Nicole Esposito, joined her in the salon.
“I kidnapped my daughter to come, too. She doesn’t like getting her hair cut either,” Tabby Esposito said.
But of the volunteers and supporters who walked through the doors of Francesca’s on Sunday morning and afternoon, no one seemed to be focused on the service they were going to receive. Rather, everything revolved around what each person had to give.
In the case of Danielle Boyer, she was able to give more than just a monetary donation in return for a haircut. She donated several inches of her own hair that she had grown out for more than two years, to Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces to children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment or other long-term medical conditions.
Urban, a cancer survivor herself, said she and her entire family spends much of their free time volunteering at fundraisers for cancer research.
“You never hear about these things until you have cancer,” Urban said. “Every fundraiser is special. Any money you can raise to help make sure more people live, we just have to help.”
Of the small crowd of men and women who gathered at Francesca’s Hair Cutters on Sunday, several of them were cancer survivors, a few of them were currently battling, and all of them could recall a family member or friend who had been affected by the disease.
But Urban spoke for the group when she said her advice to anyone currently going up against cancer is to remember, “You’re not alone.”
The amount of money raised by this year’s cut-a-thon was yet to be tallied at the time of press.
More information on the many programs and services provided by the American Cancer Society, and information on how to get involved with Relay For Life can be found at www.relayforlife.com.