'Salons Unite' to support National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

When Wheaton resident Chris Damolaris, owner of Frank Gironda Salons and a board member of Cosmetologists Chicago, met with beauty distributor Salon Centric's Devin Keeler seven years ago, they hatched a big idea - one with a purpose.

"More than 22,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. Women are already in our salons for fabulous hair care - why not take advantage of those relationships to raise awareness of a disease that affects so many?," Damolaris says.

If diagnosed and treated early when the cancer is confined to the ovary, the 5-year survival rate for those diagnosed is over 90 percent. Damolaris aims to do what he can to help clients recognize the signs and symptoms.

What Damolaris and Keeler created is known as "Salons Unite," a partnership between Pureology, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, and a group of local salons, all working together to raise awareness of this disease which takes the lives of 14,000 women each year.

"Salons Unite" is an annual fundraiser, now in its seventh year, in which a portion of consumer salon purchases of Pureology products would go toward the coalition all while competing with other salons in the area to see which organization could raise the most money.

While the participants change each year, this year's "Salons Unite" team includes Frank Gironda Salons in Naperville, Wheaton, and Glen Ellyn, and the Lisa Thomas Salons in Tinley Park, Orland Park, and Mokena, as well as an assortment of newbies to the team, eager to join the "Salons Unite" group and raise money and awareness to a disease that often goes undetected.

The 2018 contest is open now and runs through May 31.

In addition to the financial contribution of the portion of purchases, "Salons Unite" also includes an education component: each participating salon - in addition to receiving resources from the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition - will host an in-salon presentation to educate the staff on signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, enabling them to educate their clients.

The big event of the contest actually happens just a week and a half before the contest is over - the Salons Unite team will come together to participate in the annual National Ovarian Cancer Coalition 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, May 19, at Arlington Park Racetrack.

More information can be found runwalk.ovarian.org/Illinois.

"Our goal as a group is to raise as much money as we can but more importantly we want to raise awareness. If we can save even 1 life, it's worth it," Damolaris says.

For more about the race, visit runwalk.ovarian.org/illinois.

For more about Cosmetologists Chicago, the largest association of salon professionals in the Midwest, and the organization that owns and produces America's Beauty Show, visit www.americasbeautyshow.com.