Survivor Hats
My dear friend, Theresa, is a cancer survivor. Her experience is an inspiration for us all. Plan an event like this for YOUR friend. See the message below to see how powerful and healing it was for Theresa.
I wrote this up while having my morning tea and appreciating the red/pink/purple sunrise. This was actually a wonderful morning excercise in remembrance.
Who isn’t at least somewhat obsessed with their hair when losing it it is imminent? In my case, my hair had been long for years and I constantly embellished it with hair sticks. In fact, my jewelry design business began with making decorative hair pins.
Rather than enduring the trauma of losing it to chemotherapy, we planned a ceremonial evening. My mom and two close friends accompanied me to the Edgeley Hair Place where Donna Edwards did a locks-of-love cut. She then proceeded to create ever shorter styles before shaving my head. When we returned home, my husband had prepared a lovely meal, opened a bottle of wine and was playing a Gregorian chant CD in the candlelit house. The only thing we had forgotten was to prepare Don for the first sight of me without hair!
It was winter in North Dakota and within a couple of weeks our friend, Sue Morrissey, had organized The Hat Party. Friends met at the Jamestown Art Center with sewing machines, all manner of sweaters, t-shirts, fabric, fancy bits, and lots of good humor. The creative energy in the room was amazing and I knew I was already on the road to recovery.
Other friends and family joined in and sent lovely hand dyed silk scarves, warm winter hats, sequined hats, until I eventually had 32 hats/scarves. These tangible/useful outpourings of love gave me joy during every day of my treatment. And it continues. I have chosen to keep my hair very short and as soon as cool weather begins, I open my hat bags and enjoy the warmth of friendship.
Barbara, thank you so much!! for taking these pictures and creating this
lovely remembrance. Theresa Paul www.studio-gypsie.com prairiepauls@juno.com