Local Salon Offers Complementary Hair Services to Cancer Patients
By Monica Pierce
Seven years ago, Diana Barela lost her 11-year-old niece to a rare childhood cancer. Almost as painful as the battle with cancer was her niece’s traumatizing experience of losing her hair during her treatment. Barela sees the same struggle when she visits Saint Alphonsus Cancer Care center in the infusion room where she volunteers each week. Talking with the patients, she’s amazed at how they are coping with so much physical and emotional pain yet one of the greatest challenges they face is the loss of their hair.
“To hear them talk about feeling unattractive or embarrassed is just heartbreaking,” says Barela.
As co-owners of The Collab Salon in Boise, Barela and her business partner, Kayla Morris, decided to host a special event. As a Valentine’s Day gift to these members of our community, on February 9 from 12pm to 4pm, The Collab Salon is offering complimentary hair styling services to anyone currently undergoing cancer treatment. Available services will include shampoo, haircut, styling, as well as scalp treatments and neck massage.
The Collab Salon is calling the event Care for Hair, hoping that for this one day, patients can experience an enjoyable hair treatment in place of their grueling cancer treatment.
The compassionate team of Collab Salon stylists are honored to be a part of the event, offering both their time and their encouragement on this special day. They understand better than most the emotional relationship we often have with our hair, and how disheartening it can be to lose it.
The Collab Salon team also understands that during the period of treatment, patients often suffer from a certain level of isolation and estrangement from their normal social circles.
“When I hear from clients who have stopped coming into the salon while they’re undergoing cancer treatment, they talk about not just missing their hair treatment but missing coming into the salon and visiting with everyone,” reflects Morris.
Barela adds, “Through Care for Hair, we want to offer a friendly and inviting atmosphere where people undergoing cancer treatment can come and relax. We want to pamper them with complementary services, but we also hope we can help them feel comfortable and positive about themselves, giving them additional strength and confidence.”
Having taken ownership of The Collab Salon in February 2019, Barela and Morris hope to make Care for Hair an annual event each February, to honor patients like Barela’s niece and those fighting the cancer battle.
“It’s the least we can do to show care and support to our fellow community members who are going through such a tough experience.”
To schedule a Care for Hair appointment, please call The Collab Salon at (208) 996-3551 by February 2.
