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PUEBLO – Every autumn, cosmetology students at �Ӱ������� put their skills and hearts into creating hairstyles for people they’ll probably never meet.

They cut and style, then carefully place their creation – a wig – in a box. Before closing the lid, they add colorful pieces of paper with handwritten personal messages:

“You are amazing!”

“You’re beautiful.”

“Be silly. Be fun. Be different. Be crazy. Be you…”

“You are not alone.”

Each fall, Brenda Biggerstaff delivers about 350 wigs to the PCC salon for faculty member Andrea Valencia and her students. Biggerstaff is the oncology counselor and program manager at the at St. Mary-Corwin Hospital in �Ӱ�������. 

Valencia’s students refurbish the wigs for local cancer patients. The wigs are available at The Resource Center at The Boutique, a volunteer-staffed shop inside the cancer center. The store provides free wigs, hats, turbans and other items for patients, regardless of whether they are being treated at St. Mary-Corwin. 

“Losing hair is often a side effect of cancer treatment. When patients lose their hair, they also lose some of their self-esteem,” said Biggerstaff. “This program helps us provide whole-person care by making sure cancer patients look good, feel good and feel more like themselves which in turn, increases their self-esteem, mood, and quality of life. The wig they chose is unique to them and thanks to this partnership we have a large inventory of wigs for patients to choose from.”

This is the fourth year of the partnership between the college and the cancer center.

“It’s been a great program,” said Biggerstaff. “The students are so excited to see the wigs and pick out what they want to do.”

For Valencia, who teaches advanced hairstyling, the program serves a dual purpose. It’s a way to provide a meaningful service to the community and an opportunity to teach something outside the usual curriculum.

“It allows us to expand what we offer,” said Valencia. “I didn’t get this experience in beauty school. Unless you decide you want to be a wig maker, you probably won’t come across this, but the demand is always there.”

Each student works on at least 10 wigs. Though this isn’t a skill they expected to learn, they say it’s been beneficial. Most of the wigs are synthetic and can’t be styled with heat tools. Given all of the curling irons, blow dryers and other heated instruments students typically utilize, that can be a challenge.

“You definitely put all of your skills to use,” said Raylene Jordan. “You shouldn’t be afraid to do something not in your comfort zone.”

Each wig develops its own personality courtesy of the student who is working on it.

“It’s fun when everyone is doing wigs at the same time,” said Maelea Thornton. “We’re all doing the same thing but they all look different.”

Based on the reactions of students when discussing the project, this goes deeper than any regular assignment. 

“It makes me feel empowered to help other women feel empowered and beautiful,” said Thornton. “I really love our little notes we get to write, too.”

“I love it – the meaning behind it and being able to give them something they need,” said Jordan. “It’s nice.”

For information about The Resource Center at The Boutique, call 719-557-4548.