Beauty without Boundaries
On May 22, O’Connor Hospital held Beauty without Boundaries, an event part of the O’Connor Hospital Oncology program for women who have been affected by cancer. O’Connor teamed up with Cancer CAREpoint, a non-profit organization that provides counseling, education and resources for cancer patients, along with several local organizations to provide free wigs as well as make-up and hair lessons by licensed cosmetologists to help women who have gone through cancer treatment.
“The goal of this event is for these women to get a moment away from the disease they face day to day,” says Mary Turcios, program coordinator and creator of Beauty without Boundaries at O’Connor Hospital. “We wanted to give them a day of pampering where they could mingle with other patients who are going through the same journey as them and focus on their beauty as strong women and strong fighters.”
Nineteen women and their guests arrived at the O’Connor Hospital Medical Office Auditorium and were greeted with a breakfast and non-alcoholic “mimosas” to kick off the event. Volunteers from Cancer CAREpoint helped the women choose a free wig along with a hat or hair accessory. The women were shown how to wear their wigs and care for them. Each woman then proceeded to their free make-up consultation and lesson provided by volunteers from Sublime Beauty Studio in San Jose. There was also a live make-up demo where the attendees could ask beauty experts any make-up or styling questions they may have.
Following their hair and make-up appointments, the attendees were invited to take headshots and pictures with their guests, using professional lighting and a fun backdrop. After seeing the pictures, smiles and tears of joy were brought to their faces. As a parting gift, the attendees were presented with a Sephora gift bag, donated by Shea Homes, filled with make-up essentials, a professional shampoo set and a gift card, to help maintain their favorite beauty take-aways from the event.
O’Connor Hospital would like to specially thank Cancer CAREpoint, Sublime Beauty Studio and Shea Homes for making this event possible and helping brighten their patients’ day. The next Beauty without Boundaries is scheduled to occur next Fall.