SYLVANIA, Ohio —
A local beauty salon is helping cancer survivors and patients feel like their best selves, free of charge.
Paul Mitchell the School Toledo is offering free services to cancer patients and survivors for Cancer Survivor Beauty and Support Day.
The day got its start 21 years ago in Chicago, providing services at no cost for cancer survivors and patients, according to Lindsay Ramm, the admissions adviser for the school. This is the tenth year the salon here has participated, but she said this year is a little different.
"We did just lose an educator, Deanna Niese, to her fight with breast cancer last week," Ramm said. "It's a really special day for us to give back, not only in her name but to give back to the community in a way that she gave back at the school."
Ramm said Niese was always putting a smile on other's faces, so that is the goal for the school on this day.
Stylists provided free manicures, hair washes and haircuts to survivors. One person who was able to take some time for herself was Michelle Scherer.
After beating breast cancer last February, Scherer is now taking care of her son and daughter who both have cancer. She was unsure if she was going to come to her hair appointment today, but she said she was glad she did.
"I'm glad because it's like my chest does not have that elephant on it right now," Scherer said. "It's a lot to deal with and it's nice to have people in the community like this place today that does this."
Scherer's mother, Geneva Ribby, said she feels great that her daughter is taking time for herself.
"They deserve this," Ribby said. "They are cancer survivors. They really deserve it."
Heather Chekal, a breast cancer patient, got a manicure. Chekal said she works a lot and just moved, so it's hard to find time for herself.
"To be able to sit here and get something like this done is kind of nice," Chekal said.