Sweet Wig Beauty Boutique is Open!
We’re very excited to announce the opening of our new Sweet Wig Beauty Boutique that provides free wigs for cancer patients. Located within West Cancer Foundation’s offices, the boutique provides a private, salon-like setting where those being treated for cancer can select a wig at no charge. The free wigs and other head coverings (hats, scarves, etc.) offered at the Sweet Wig Beauty Boutique are available to all cancer patients regardless of their hospital or treatment provider. An appointment is required, and only one patient and their guest will be allowed in the boutique at a time to offer complete privacy.
To maintain a large inventory of wigs suitable for our diverse community, the foundation is partnering with Gould’s Salon & Spa to accept wig donations at any of its Memphis locations. “Losing one’s hair can be devastating for some cancer patients, especially for those who may lack the resources to buy a wig,” said West Cancer Foundation Executive Director Leighanne Soden. “We’re thrilled to be able to expand our wig program with a discrete, salon-inspired setting to help even more women regain their self-confidence and dignity. And now with the opportunity to partner with Gould’s, it’s easy for people to donate wigs to help even more patients.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment, click here.
She to Sea Giving it Their All, No Matter the Weather
While the rest of us are just trying to stay warm this winter, the She to Sea team is busy training for their bike ride from Memphis to Seagrove Beach, Fla. The team of 20 riders will cycle more than 500 miles in the third annual She to Sea on March 16-20 to raise money for the free, life-saving cancer services West Cancer Foundation provides. These dedicated cyclists train outside for long periods during the weekend – sometimes in the bitter cold – to get miles in, train indoors on their bikes during the week and work on their strength training as well. According to Heather Nichols, one of the 10 founders of She to Sea, even though the journey is incredibly taxing physically, it’s worth it knowing how many people are helped. “A lot of our ladies have had friends or family members who have gone through the battle with cancer,” said Nichols. “When we get out there and things get tough, it truly helps us keep going when we remember that what we are doing is not nearly as tough as battling cancer. It helps us to keep moving forward knowing that the contributions brought in from this ride will end up helping so many people remove some of the burden from their battle.”
West Cancer Foundation Receives Grant from the Pink Ribbon Open
We’re thrilled to announce that West Cancer Foundation has received a total of $150,000 from the Breast Cancer Eradication Initiative/Pink Ribbon Open, including its most recent donation of $40,000. The Pink Ribbon Open started in 1994 as an LPGA Pro Am fundraiser and has continued for the past 28 years to raise funds for local breast cancer screenings, education and treatment support. The group has awarded more than $4 million in grants to local Memphis organizations, and we’re honored to be one of them. Thank you Pink Ribbon Open for your support and continued dedication in the fight against breast cancer.
If you’d like to support free breast cancer screenings for Memphis women who are uninsured or underinsured, please consider a donation to our Give a ‘Gram program.
Good Vibrations for Cancer Treatment
Scientists at Rice University in Texas discovered an entirely new form of cancer treatment that could eradicate tumors and act as a possible alternative to chemotherapy. The new method attaches a cyanine dye to a cancer cell that is then stimulated using infrared light which can penetrate deep into a human without harming them in the process. This then vibrates the cell, causing the membrane to tear open and destroy the cancer.
“Our technology could have lower side effects in contrast to chemotherapy,” said Ciceron Ayala Orozco, lead author on the study, who added it would be most effective against solid tumors. While human testing won’t occur for quite some time, initial results with mice have been very promising.
Our Mission
West Cancer Foundation’s mission is to break through barriers to cancer care and improve patient outcomes by providing accessible patient resources, early detection and education, and community-based research.
