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FREE WIG! FREE BREAST PROSTHESIS!>
Hearts for Hope fund-raiser helps cancer survivors
The Mississippi Press --
May 7, 2007 --
Hearts for Hope fund-raiser helps cancer survivors
Monday, May 07, 2007
By VETO F. ROLEYThe Mississippi Press
VANCLEAVE -- Music fans went to The Shed on Sunday to enjoy barbecue, listen to local bands and learn how to help cancer survivors during the Hearts for Hope fund-raiser for the Pink Heart Funds.
Pink Heart Funds, which was started by JoAn Niceley, provides money to cancer patients who need wigs or breast prosthesis.
Niceley said she wanted people to know about the foundation and the money it provides for cancer patients.
"I'm trying to get the word out," she said. "There are a lot of patients that do not have the funds to purchase a wig or a breast prosthesis. I want to help as many people as I can."
Niceley said the loss of hair, particularly for female cancer patients, is often one of the toughest losses in cancer.
"Women would rather lose a breast than their hair," Niceley said.
Losing hair is an obvious sign of cancer, she said, while surgery can be hidden with clothing and other tricks.
In addition to the Pink Heart Funds, the festival featured Michelle Hirata of Fat Thumbs Originals. Hirata makes hats out of T-shirt materials that she gives to cancer patients. She also sells the hats and handbags on her Web site, fatthumbsoriginals.com
"She gave out a number of hats, almost $20,000 worth, before realizing that she better sell a few to finance the operation," said event organizer Linda Orrison.
"It's been fabulous," Hirata said. "Everybody is having a good time."
Hirata said she would like to see the festival raise $10,000. And, with $2,000 raised by 2:30 p.m., she said organizers should meet that goal.
"The after-church crowd is not here," she said. "Once the after-church crowd gets here around 4 p.m., everything should speed up."
Hirata said organizers would like to see the festival become an annual event, but are thinking about moving it to a cooler time of the year, such as February or October. While May is national cancer month, she noted that October is national breast cancer month.
"We put all of this on in only four months," Hirata said. "We are ecstatic about what is happening."
Orrison said she expected the early morning hours of the festival to be calm. However, she said people started coming in shortly after the festival opened around noon.
Orrison said The Shed decided to sponsor the event because everyone there knew someone affected with cancer.
She noted that she has had two bouts with cancer.
"We do a lot of things like this, particularly when we know that 100 percent of the proceeds will go to a good cause," she said.
Reporter Veto F. Roley can be reached at vroley@themississippipress.com or (228) 934-1427.
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