The side effects of cancer treatment are never a pretty thing, but a woman in South Carolina is doing everything she can to make life a little easier for patients fighting the disease.
Marlisa Small is a 32-year cancer survivor, and her ministry gives out free wigs to chemo patients. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cervical Cancer in 1991 during a difficult time in her life. She and her husband had called it quits, and Small was left to raise her three children on her own.
Through it all, she never lost her faith in God. As she lay in her hospital bed recovering after a radical hysterectomy, she prayed.
“I said Lord, please let me live through this, and if you do, I’ll do everything I can to help people facing this just like me,” said Small.
She made good on that promise, and 2010 her non-profit was born.
Ties for her Bold and Beautiful Wigs for Cancer ministry reach far and wide, and though the price tags can range anywhere from $180-$600 per piece, the service costs nothing for the recipient.
The Donayre Cancer Center in Whiteville regularly sends women and children too small to be fitted for hair, but it’s not uncommon for folks halfway across the country — or even across the world — to reach out to her.
“I’ve spoken to people in Germany and Berlin, and picked out a wig for them, and shipped it right out. I can’t turn them away,” said Small.
The accessories aren’t secondhand or synthetic. She orders them from high-end companies like Raquel Welch’s Hair You Wear and Henry Margu, and every person receives a brand-new wig all their own.
Not just any random piece is ordered for the intended wearer. Many factors are considered long before it’s ever situated on someone’s head.
Small often asks for pictures of the person before their hair loss and tries to tailor each accessory to the same color and style the patient had before they began treatment. Other items like turbans and hats with hair are also up for grabs for anyone who isn’t comfortable with wearing the wigs.
Small said they give away over 600 retail pieces every year, and her 45 years worth of beauty business experience comes in handy when fitting the hair and teaching folks how to shampoo and care for their new mane. She even video calls clients who have any questions or need demonstrations.
Small’s efforts don’t just stop at the hairline.
She also helps folks to find financial resources after diagnosis to help pay their mortgage, utility bills, and afford their medications needed during treatment.
Non-profits can’t run off of good intentions alone, so Bold and Beautiful Wigs for Cancer holds several fundraisers to support their cause.
An annual gala is a big event for the ministry. It’s supported by doctors, oncologists, healthcare offices and their staff as well as the community. Donations are also accepted at any time. The first two years after the birth of the ministry, 100 percent of the proceeds went directly into purchasing wigs. From there, Bold and Beautiful Wigs for Cancer sailed on by prayers, reputation, and word of mouth.
In recent years, a golf tournament has been added to the agenda. The organization has paired with the Tidewater Golf Club to bring a fun-filled day to supporters all in the name of charity.
The next golfing event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the club. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., and the four-person scramble tournament will begin at 9 a.m. The cost is $150 per player, and includes a round of golf, breakfast and lunch, prizes for top teams, and a reception at Joey’s Club House Grille.
An automobile donated by Bell & Bell Buick GMC is among the prizes up for grabs for a hole in one. Other prizes will be handed out for par 3 closest to the pin, the longest drive, and overall team winner of the tournament. Also planned is a 50/50 raffle, a silent auction, mulligans, and pay it forward. Sponsorships are still needed for the event, and the prices range from $100-$5000. The categories include hole sponsors, exclusive hole sponsors, breakfast and lunch sponsors, and event sponsors.
Tidewater Golf Club is located at 1400 Tidewater Drive in North Myrtle Beach. For more information or to donate to Bold and Beautiful Wigs for Cancer, please call 843.424.1638. Registration and sponsor forms are available at Marlisa’s Wig Studio and Day Spa, 1561 Highway 17, Little River. You can also visit the website at www.wigsforcancercharity.com.
