Folicle Salon goes bald to beat cancer (Full story)

The event was held at Triple C Brewing Co. in South End on June 21.

All of the proceeds from this head-shaving fundraiser went to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven national charity that partners with businesses and community organizations to raise awareness and money for childhood cancer research. Last year, St. Baldrick’s raised $34 million with 1,379 head-shaving events.

Folicle Salon and Spa, at 228 East Blvd., has worked with local charities, such as the Humane Society of Charlotte and the Human Rights Campaign, but this time they voted to raise money for a cause that affects children nationwide.

“We, as a salon, were looking for a way to be more involved in the community and to grow closer as a team. We chose St. Baldrick’s because of its connection to hair … and who they help,” said Folicle Salon manager Liz Trinidad-Smith. “Having five kids of my own … it means a lot to me.”

Beyond their online fundraising campaign, the team worked to learn more about St. Baldrick’s and the dozen childhood cancers the group is working to cure, such as neuroblastoma and myeloid leukemia.

Team Folicle Salon’s new found knowledge and fundraising campaign also helped them get to know their clients a little better. “The more we talked about it, the more we found out about childhood cancer’s impact on our friends, family, clients and community,” owner Edward Woody said.

To make the event more personal, Folicle Salon wanted the campaign to recognize a local child who’d survived cancer. Cortney Helm, a stylist at the salon said she immediately thought of her friend and former co-worker Nicole Wise and her son Carson Hands.

Carson, 8, was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer called malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor when he was 7 months old. He was treated at Hemby Children’s Hospital and has been in remission since he was 18 months old. He attended Go Bald to Beat Cancer with his parents and grandparents, where he was recognized as the event’s honor child.

In support of the cause, Carson shaved off his blonde locks, leaving only a blue mohawk. Carson’s grandfather, Steve Hands, shaved his head bald in honor of Carson.