On a sunny day in April, ring goes the old shop telephone and Songy Knox (Photographer) says: "I've met someone we have to help, are you in?" What do you say?!
This is a women who does not suffer fools, with an impressive corporate career behind her, Songy is now creating a biz following her passion and that edgy, direct communication style remains her trademark.
She rings, you listen!
"CJ, you have to meet Sue, she's bald too and is just beautiful, when I hugged her I just knew we had to spoil her!" said Songy with a sense of urgency and compassion.
So over a cup of detox tea at Chapels on Whatley, she filled me in and we brainstormed.
"Let's partner with Plunkett Homes (who were keen to give back too) and who built her new house", You see, when building her new home, Sue was scratched by her dog Tigger on one of her breasts. It was out of character for him to do this.
The scratch wouldn't heal and remarkably it was found; CANCER. An aggressive form (yet caught early) ... Sue now feeds Tigger, caviar.
No lumps no bumps in the bust region ... No reason to be suspect. Tigger has earnt his place on the sofa!
Team Plunkett wanted in to spoil Sue after hearing her story and hoped to share the story to help more women.
New outfits, check. Styling tips, check. House ready, check. Sue agreed (brave and check check) ...
While still undergoing treatment our new friend Sue is bubbly, upbeat and purely inspirational when visiting LFB with her Mum, Margaret and 12 year old daughter, Jaime.
3 generations, 3 different styles with Team LFB: 3 reasons: look, feel, be.
Look good is to feel great is to be ... (Happy and Healthy) the difference!
Le'V was on hand to style our guests, Stephanie entertained us with ideas, me ... well ... I just kept dancing around in what was a packed house this particular day in Autumn.
Then came shoot day ...
At the house, where neighbours gathered ... Sue's hubby, Michael shared that they almost didn't move in.
Wig no wig, ahhh ... lets shoot both.
Six months from the completion date, they had the tragic news of cancer confirmed. "Building a new house as many will know is stressful, it is amazing how your priorities immediately change and project driving a house build meant nothing after learning of Sues, cancer" he told me. "I just wanted to focus on Sue," he emotionally shared "and moving in was not exciting, it was a frightening time."
Songy and I met the fam after they had lived in the stunning house (that feels like a home) six months after moving in. It is filled with love and hope.
With the magical touch of the make up brushes, Ali (make up artist) adds some gloss and glow to our 3 strong ladies while 2 beautiful men, hubby Michael and son, Bailey ... wait. Oh and site manager, Paris (the little black pooch) goes about her business. Here goes ...
Fam shot (taken by my assistant, Sophia on the day) ...
Fam shot with some photo bomb assistants ...
TV reality show shot;
Would love a caption for the below shot ... comments please!
To see more of the pics captured on this touching day pop over to Songy's gallery.
Check Sue and the crew out in the Sunday Times today ... Hot off the press
A special thank you to my assistant on the day Sophia (who is Jaime's bestie) who captured some of these behind the scenes shots for me.
If you would like to make a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Centre who Sue speaks so highly of ... follow this link.
Thank you, Songy for including me and Team LFB.
Thank you Sue and fam for your new friendship and trust. We hope all of your hopes come true.
A very Happy Mothers Day to you, Sue and Margaret and to all of our LFB'ers out there. To the Mum's lost, you are never forgotten.
With a smile and big wishes for a cure to cancer ... CJ & Team LFB x
Waking up on shave day was a hoot, it seems a long time ago ... yesterday! I kept getting little emails with a message like this one ... (so I kept upping the target)
Having just got used to my new pink rockstar look, I now had to embrace my Sinead O'Connor inner self as it was soon to make an outer appearance, was I nervous Vanessa asked?
The truth is ... I wasnt nervous, I was just very aware. I was really present to the thought of having a choice and making a difference, rather than anything else. That was until about 60 minutes before the shave. Anxiety kicked in and the spray cans came out as the guests arrived to see me follow through on a commitment ...
Loved turning kids into art (or maybe a smurf!):
To settle my nerves, long time friend Linda (who does happen to be in the hairdressing profession) turned the cans to my head ... "Let's freshen you up and shut you up for a mo!" ...
A few antics in store (us girls aways love a dress up session) made for light entertainment as the crowd continued to grow and the coins clink away closer to 6pm:
Beep goes the App on my Iphone from the Worlds Greatest Shave to tell me, we have smashed the target again!
Then with 10 minutes to go, I seriously just wanted it done. So here goes ...
Linda starts the shave and Jarryd from Tyst for Hair comes by to finish it:
It was wonderful to see through the sunset glare, beautiful faces looking back at me. The expressions were priceless and the peacefulness a unique experience. Such a loud bunch usually:
Hubby liked touching it ...
So what was it like to shower (many have asked)? Beautiful. It was really an experience. Checking my emails in the morning, this one found its way into the inbox. Funny junk email (see 1st one) ... its timing impeccable ...
Putting on my make up was quite interesting. I thought of the women who when going through chemo lose not only their hair, they lose their eyebrows and lashes. I was relying on them today and a tear ran down my face thinking of what it would be like without them ...
It is still not too late to donate. THANK YOU sincerely to those who have or have shared the message in the hope their friends would give. We have until the end of May to contribute to this charity and cause. Did you know blood cancer kills more people than breast and skin cancers COMBINED? I did'nt until now ...
Again a special thank you to Songy Knox who so beautifully captured this moment ... check out all of the pictures at her website Songy Knox Photography
With a smile and a BALD head ... if you want to come by for a feel it will cost you a gold coin donation (smiling)
CJ & Team LFB xxx
It's Tuesday just before Wednesday and then, there is Thursday. I am a bit nervous. Can you tell?
This Thursday 6pm. Worlds greatest shave takes over the ol CJ and as the pink goes, bald becomes the new black and we still have a few $$$ to raise ...
The last 7 days with pink hair have been amazing. Thank you again to Jarryd at Tryst for Hair
My dogs were not sure of the new look. My husband loves it. My Dad didn't say much. Friends just wanted to touch it. Strangers smiled.
It's better than having a dog on a leash or a baby in the pram as an icebreaker to meet new peeps.
At the beach yesterday two male hotties stopped and made note of the hair. My dear friends and I made a few notes ourselves (smiling!) ...
Have you been down to see the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition? You must. It's terrific. For our out of town, LFB'ers...here are some pics;
Loved the dog art installation … and felt this man needed to eat more ...
Would love to know what the women was thinking as she modelled for this ...
So as I contemplate what it is going to feel like being bald (as per exhibit above) ... I remain grateful this is a choice and that we are raising money to help others. Many others.
If you want to spray colour (temporary bright colours) your hair on Thursday evening from 5pm for a gold coin donation, we will be doing this out the front of the store. If you want to see me in my shiny shiny glory … then come on by at 6pm …
To donate … go to Worlds Greatest Shave website (follow this link)
If you can't join us on the night … Songy Knox will be on hand capturing the moments for the later … shine, show and tell
With a smile …
CJ, Le'V & Mel - Team LFB xxx
PS: If you missed the going pink stage 1 story, scroll down for our last blog
Saying you will do something and actually doing it, are two very different things
Waking up knowing you are going to radically change your hair as Step 1 in the journey towards baldness for a cause is quite an interesting sensation. In saying this ... just tonight, I was watching an ad for 60 minutes where an amazing women who has MS (and who is going off to Russia for treatment as we are too backward in our thinking here) shaved her hair all off so her children felt connected to the change that was about to happen and were not scared by her new look before she underwent massive amounts of chemo. Her response; "I feel stripped back to nothing" … Wow.
So respecting the above and the MANY stories I have heard in recent months about people loosing their hair as a bi product of disease I share with you my journey to step 1. If you missed our last blog check it out to understand a little more of the background. Thank you must go to friends and family 'and' strangers too who gave to our mission to raise awareness and money, who picked the colour pink as our starting point.
The morning of the shave (which was yesterday as I type this) I didn't bother washing my hair … yet I did brush it with love and nerves at the prospect of giving it over to Jarryd. Jarryd is a man I have never met who like me simply wants to help others and do his bit for making a difference. Enter Tryst for Hair in Mt Hawthorn. In I go. 3.00pm … looking like this:
I see a cushion with this message on it … and a hot guy behind the counter (that must be the kind one, Jarryd!?). And there was Songy Knox waiting for me.
Songy is a talented photographer who I met a year or so ago. She loves our little LFB and as a local is keen to support local. When she heard I had committed to shaving it 'all' off … she sweetly emailed me and offered to shoot the experience. What a blessing. The more awareness we can muster for our friends at the Leukaemia Foundation the better and pictures do, after all paint 1000 words. Keen to get started … here are my favoured pictures:
Reference shot. Check.
Hair shaved in less than 1 minute … Check, check. Mo anyone?
Loved this temporary look, only to be reminded … "Don't get comfy with it!" ...
Really, really itchy … as we bleach the living organisms out of it … before adding pink. If you know me, you will know I hate sitting still for long. AND itching. Two pet hates! This is why friend, Lauren and Worlds Greatest Shave guru was on hand to make sure I did not run away ...
Nicole's hands were like magic on my scalp. Nothing beats a good apprentice!
A lot more cutting and lots more jam duty. What's jam duty? I hear you ask … It is when pink dye wants to run down your face and into the blonde bits and Jarryd is at the ready with towel to mop up said looking raspberry jam (my nickname for it) before it ruins the art. This was quite a job to do. It is now 5pm or close to and my Husband rings. NOTE: Paul has no idea I am going for a radical cut or pink… "Honey, I am at the hairdressers … see you at home!" …
Well, if you want to see the many more amazing photographs from the afternoon … please visit Songy's gallery online there was a lot of love in the room and some sad times too. We shared stories of why doing this was important to us. Remembering Jarryd and I were strangers up until yesterday. Jarryd told me of a stunning women, a client of his for years, who loved/loves her appearance (as we all should!!!) and who was fighting blood cancer. He shared how it made him feel washing her hair after the first bout of chemo and the tears they both shared when shaving it off … because she had no choice. That is why we are doing this for those who had fought, those fighting, those winning, those yet to know they will be impacted ...
So as strangers we come together to create a pink do and some dough too …
Please help us continue on our mission to raise money and awareness for the Worlds Greatest Shave and donate a $1 or 2
With a smile … and pink hair until the 13th of March 2014 (6pm) when it all comes off at a public shave out the front of Look Feel Be (come and join me)
Caroline & Team LFB xxx
PS: A very 'big' thank you to the kids at Maylands Basket Ball Club for the $$$ from the swears jar! ;) x
