Every October, pink is brought out to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This October, women of the Valley are able to support the cause by purchasing a pink extension for their locks through the nationwide program, Pink Hair for Hope.

Pink Hair for Hope, which originated in Arizona, has enlisted Ramon Bacqui Hair & Med Spa in Old Town Scottsdale to distribute all extensions to their locations throughout the state. Kendy Mendez, salon manager, says that his customers are the reason he finds the cause so important. “Being in the beauty industry, we have a lot of female clients,” Mendez says. “You tend to get attached to your clients and, when one of them has become affected with breast cancer, it really hits home.”

All extensions cost $10 and proceeds are directly donated to National Breast Cancer Foundation as well as the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Your donation at the salon includes the application and removal of the extension. The program, which began in September and will continue through the month of October, is featured in more than 375 salons throughout the nation.

Jesica Rogers, social media director for the Brillare Hairdressing Academy, supports this cause with the academy through the Ramon Bacqui Hair & Med Spa. Rogers, whose great-grandmother was affected by cancer, says she found a passion for this organization because of her. Rogers says that through her passion, she has become dedicated to helping women know the facts so they can protect themselves from it.

Rogers went on to say that breast cancer is a very prominent part of our society and supporting this cause will help future generations to come. “Everyone wants to look good, and what girl doesn’t love pink,” Rogers says. “Supporting this cause helps people educate themselves on the risks so they don’t have it affect themselves and their families in the future.” (According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006 alone 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,820 lost their battle.)

For Elizabeth Haase of Tempe, she found out about the program through college friends and placed two pink extensions in her hair to support of her grandmother, who is a survivor of breast cancer. “Breast cancer is something that has definitely become an epidemic in our society,” Haase says. “I pray we find a cure and the only way we are going to do that is by raising money for the cause.” Haase says that the application of the extension took little time. “I was literally in and out. The longest part was me deciding what color pink I wanted,” Haase says.

For more information about this program, visit www.pinkhairforhope.com.