sister slayers

I didn’t know the first thing about fundraising. Before last week, I thought it meant knowing the right people with the right connections or folks with deep pockets who could whip out a checkbook at a moments notice. So when my sister, Toni, suggested that the two of us host an event to raise money for cancer awareness, I was apprehensive.

kenya, toni & tima

My friends, God bless them, aren’t in a position to donate a significant sum of money to my cause. And I was pretty sure that my sister wasn’t rolling with a crew of ballers either. Nevertheless, we moved forward with our plans for a day of reduced-priced nail, hair, and massage services at Alexander Myles Salon & Spa, my sister’s business in Wilmington, Del.

We were motivated less by our ability to pull off something fabulous and more by the fact that we’re both cancer survivors. Toni was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymphatic tissue, more than 10 years ago, and she was inspired to take up the fight again after my diagnosis last year. Leave it to cancer to turn you into a crusader. This time around, though, she figured her best weapons were her blow-dryer and a flat iron. And as if we needed another reason to get inspired, September just happens to be Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Leukemia Lymphoma Awareness Month.

Toni and I started by coming up with a theme for our spa day, aptly named “Sisters Slaying Cancer,” and got the word out via e-mail and through friends and family. We reached out to Mizani, creator of professional hair care products, and L’Oreal to donate items for our gift bags, as well as a local businesses in Wilmington. We also invited representatives from the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to talk about signs and symptoms.

sissy, taking a break from giving chair massages

On Sunday, the morning of the event, we were still working feverishly to set everything up — arranging flowers and balloons, sweeping up hair from the day before, and making coffee. At 9:45 a.m., clients starting arriving. By 11 a.m., my sister’s shop was teeming with women. Nail techs were doing manicures and pedicures, stylists were threading eyebrows and washing hair, aestheticians were giving facials, there were raffles. It was a busy day — and a huge success.

happy to raise awareness

Here’s what I’ve learned about holding a fundraiser: If it involves females and the promise of beauty, then you really can’t go wrong. Women love pampering, and if they can receive it while supporting a good cause, then so much the better.

But Toni and I certainly couldn’t have pulled off the event alone. The staff at Alexander Myles, who gave up their day off to work for free, performed wonders. So did Mizani and L’Oreal. Our gift bags were filled with premium hair care products and Color of Hope makeup bags, as well as other giveaways donated by folks looking to support us.

My dad donated a case of Champagne for mimosas, and mom brought all her friends, many of whom are cancers survivors themselves. And where would we be without all the women who came to get prettied up? There were about 50 in all, and a few who stopped by just to drop off a donation. Their checks of $20, $30, and $40 may not have been the deep-pocket money I imagined, but they meant far more. And at the end of the day, they added up to a pretty decent amount, 100 percent of which we donated.

sitting pretty

As soon as the event ended, Toni and I started brainstorming about how to make it bigger and better next year — our second annual “Sisters Slaying Cancer” fundraiser.

daria & veronica

stacy & darla

looking fabulous