Wigs for Women event is personal for founder, survivors

Feb. 17--Robin Ott knows firsthand what it is to be a survivor.

"I am a survivor of breast cancer myself, and when I was going through my healing process, Suzy, a friend of mine, was diagnosed with cancer as well," said Ott. "I went out to visit her when she was newly diagnosed, and she was distraught over losing her hair. I went home to my son and said, 'We have to do something about this.' And he said 'No, Mom, you have to do something about this."

That was in June 2012. By February 2013 (Ott's first anniversary of being cancer-free), her organization Wigs for Women was launching its first event, where over 50 gifts donated by community members were raffled off in support of the cause. The group raised about $5,000 in their first year, and Ott hasn't stopped since.

Wigs for Women aims to help women discover their dignity, self-confidence and well-being following cancer treatment by connecting them with wigs, which can be hard to come by for many cancer patients and survivors.

"One of the challenges is that most insurance companies don't cover the cost of a wig, and a wig can run from $50 to thousands of dollars depending on the style, length and size of the wig as well as the type of hair," said Ott. "Another reason it is difficult is that sometimes, these women are so embarrassed (to have lost their hair) that they don't want to go anywhere to find a wig."

That's where Ott and Wigs for Women found their niche. Though the organization formerly worked with CentraCare Cancer Center's Enhancement Program, Ott and her team are now setting out on their own to help the community of survivors "person-to-person."

The organization's new voucher program allows women experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatment to apply for a voucher to purchase a wig through a partnership with Pyramid Beauty Hair and Wigs. Ott and her board are also reaching out to salons to get the word out.

"We're reaching out to beauty salons and the stylists themselves to try to reach more people in the rural areas who don't have the money for wigs, who may have lost their jobs due to their cancer treatment, who are feeling that financial strain," said Ott of the organization's newest effort. "Cancer survivor or not, you have a rapport with your stylist. ... They know when you get married, when your children are born, when you're sick or out of town, and they know that you have cancer, and that you're going to lose your hair. It's a very personal connection."

The Wigs for Women board of directors is a family affair; Ott's son Ryan and his wife, Heather both helm major roles with the organization.

"Just seeing Robin go through all her stuff (with the diagnosis) and Suzy as well, I just wanted to support her," said Ryan Ott. "That was the closest cancer had ever come to our house."

Tonya Miller, secretary for the board, was spurred into action from the moment she learned of Robin Ott's diagnosis.

"I'll never forget the day she told me she had cancer. We went out to dinner sort of spontaneously, and I'm talking away, you know, yadda yadda yadda, and she just reached her hand over and took mine and said, 'Tonya, I have breast cancer.' And I almost fell out of my chair," said Miller, her voice breaking. "Since then, I've tried to be as supportive as I can. When she told me she wanted to develop this event I said, great, I'm a planner, I'm an organizer, let me know how I can help."

Others on the board have been touched by Robin's mission and spirit as well. Board member Ronnette Trulson said she was moved by her friend's zest for helping her community.

"If you spend any amount of time around Robin, you soon see that she's very passionate about the organization and reaching out to women. It's the passion, it's the energy. She's very sincere in her efforts, and it's hard not to get caught up in that," said Trulson.

"Help, help, help," said Ott. "That's all I want to do."

Ott gets that chance on Feb. 18 at the fifth annual Wigs for Women fundraiser. The family-friendly event at River's Edge Convention Center offers over 150 prizes and baskets to be raffled off to benefit the organization, as well as games for both kids and adults, henna tattoos, face painting and more.

"(The prizes) go from 4-inch gift cards to 4-foot paintings," laughed Miller. "There's so many different things in the raffle this year."

Ryan Ott said the event has consistently grown year over year. "Every year we've doubled, or nearly doubled, the amount of attendees."

Though Saturday's event is focused on fundraising and fun, for Robin Ott it is also intensely personal. All throughout the process of planning, she's had one thing on her mind: how best to help her fellow survivors, and how to honor the memory of those lost to the disease.

"You know, I went to a psychic reading this fall, and we were about an hour in when (the psychic) asked if there was anyone else I wanted to contact. And I say, 'Can you just ask Suzy what she wants me to do with the money?'" Ott said. "And she paused for a moment, and gave me this strange look, and said: 'Wigs, wigs, wigs, wigs.' "

"To have that come out of this stranger ... it made me realize that I was doing the right thing."

Follow Alyssa Zaczek on Twitter @sctimesalyssa, email her at azaczek@stcloudtimes.com, or call her at (320) 255-8761.

For more information ...

To learn more about Wigs for Women, visit www.wigsforwomenwithcancer.com or www.facebook.com/WigsForWomen.

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