October 6, 2018
by salonkhouri
This October, have a pink strand (or two or three!) added to your tresses to show that you care! All net proceeds will be donated to local non-profit, Tigerlily Foundation.
September 27, 2017
by salonkhouri
“I am a cancer survivor babe. I was diagnosed with breast cancer, stage I, grade 3 (the most aggresive type), on July 17th of 2007 at age 32.” Tetika
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks before my 31st birthday — invasive ductal carcinoma.” Ahn
“I was diagnosed at 38. I found out it was stage 2-3 infiltrating ductal carcinoma – meaning it was spreading through my left breast and into my lymph nodes.” Theresa
On February 28, 2006, at 4:45 p.m., Maimah was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. She had no family history of breast cancer; and was only 32-years old. Maimah Karmo went on to found Tigerlily Foundation.
I made a promise to God that if I survived, I would give my life in service to others. I promised that I would be a vessel for change, a witness and a warrior, committed to transforming the lives of young women, empowering them to become their best advocates, and empowering those diagnosed to use cancer as a catalyst to truly living. -Maimah Karmo
Did you know that 11,000 American women under the age of 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and that over 1,400 of them will die? That’s where Tigerlily Foundation comes in. They provide education, advocacy and support to women, aged 45 and under, who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Tigerlily Foundation offers programs that range from Education, to Empowerment, to Advocacy, to Support — reaching and touching thousands.
We are proud to once again partner with this amazing, Northern Virginia non-profit and have selected them as our October Community Outreach partner. We will be donating $1 from every haircut this month to Tigerlily. Additionally, we will be offering pink hair extensions and will be donating $1 from every hair extension to Tigerlily Foundation in October.
October 3, 2015
by salonkhouri
October 4, 2014
by salonkhouri
This October, Salon Khouri is once again partnering with Pink Hair for Hope and the local non-profit, Tigerlily Foundation. We will be donating $1 from every haircut to the Tigerlily Foundation this October. Additionally, we are once again participating in the Pink Hair for Hope campaign with So.Cap. Pink extensions are $10 each, and the proceeds are donated via the Pink Hair for Hope foundation to various breast cancer research non-profit organizations, including the American Cancer Society, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Tigerlily Foundation was founded by Maimah Karmo, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32 years old. Maimah is committed to educating young women around the world about breast cancer and empowering them to be their own best advocates. She is dedicated to changing the young adult breast cancer landscape and seeks to impact the quality of care and lifestyle for young women affected by this disease.
Through education, support and advocacy, the Tigerlily Foundation is changing lives and helping women in the Northern Virginia area cope with their diagnoses and recovery. Tigerlily hosts two staple events each year, the Pajama Glam and the Pink Boa 5k. The Pajama Glam was created by Maimah’s 10-year old daughter, Noelle, who wanted to design an event to attract and educate young girls about their breast and body health, while raising awareness towards the younger generation.
Photo copyright: The Umbrella Syndicate
The Pink Boa 5k is an inspiring walk/run event that brings supporters and patients together to help raise money for Tigerlily Foundation.
Photo by: Kipp Burgoyne
October 3, 2013
by salonkhouri
Our most beautiful role model for the month of October, Allison Kelly.
Six years ago, Allison Kelly was turning 40. With no family history of breast cancer, she had very little anxiety about scheduling her first mammogram. She did all the right things like monthly self-breast exams and yearly check ups at the doctor. And, to add to her sense of ease, Allison nor the doctors ever felt the slightest lump during her exams. Then everything in her life changed in an instant. “My mammogram lit up like a Christmas tree,” Allison recalls. “There were two tumors growing and my results were triple positive.” Allison, married with two young children who were just three and seven at the time, had a lot of big decisions to make.
Allison and her doctor’s decided on a treatment consisting of a lumpectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy. The treatments lasted a year and a half. “I can go on for hours about that hell,” Allison lamented. Then, while sharing her story, Allison paused for a moment and said, “You know what’s funny? When I started the chemo, I thought the hardest part would be losing my hair. It was my signature — my thick, long, curly hair. Turns out that was the easiest part. Chemo was a bitch.”
To get her through it all, Allison relied heavily on her strong network of friends. “Thank God for friends and family. They were my support.” They walked side-by-side with her in her first Avon walk, while she was undergoing chemo. Friends brought meals, helped keep her spirits up — one even broke into her house and cleaned it while she was sick during her treatments. It was encouragement from friends and family, especially her husband, that helped her get through each day. She described him as a stoic man who picked up all the pieces when she was sick, but who never let her lose her sense of humor. “He could always make me laugh,” Allison smiled, “even on the worst days.” Allison also drew support from her Oncologist. She recalls telling her Oncologist, “Just help me see my kids through high school.” Her Oncologist looked her straight in the eyes and firmly stated, “You’re going to live to be a grandmother.”
It took Allison a year after her last treatment to finally feel normal again. Allison went about her life, working, raising money for breast cancer research, and spending time with her husband and children. And, not one to be beaten, Allison continued walking in Avon walks. To date, Allison has participated in 8 walks, and will be walking her 9th in 2014. One year Allison was going to walk two walks, one in DC, then one in October in New York with her family. But when October came, Allison was too sick to travel or walk. Her family in New York walked in her honor.
A few years passed and Allison approached her five year remission anniversary. “For my five year anniversary on 12-12-12, my husband planned TWO parties. I’ll never forget it.” Her doctor’s assured her she had beat cancer — she was given the all clear. Glad to put cancer behind her, Allison scheduled a follow up mammogram two weeks after the party. She recalls how, in the early stages of her cancer, days seemed like years when waiting for results. “There was one point I went for five weeks without knowing if I would live or not.” However, when speaking of her first post-remission mammogram, she recalls her complete lack of worry, “I walked in there not worried one bit.”
Then, she got the results. It wasn’t good. The cancer had returned. Luckily it was caught early, but her doctors told her chemo wouldn’t work this time. In February 2013, Allison underwent a nine hour double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery then went on to spend three days in the cardiac ICU. Allison spent weeks sleeping in a recliner at home as it was too painful to lie down in a bed, but, in typical Allison fashion, she kept her positive attitude and sense of humor, posting hysterical quips about pain meds to her Facebook page. Allison has a third and hopefully final surgery scheduled this month. Allison described the surgery as “intense” and “painful,” but, she would do it again in an instant to know that she probably won’t have to face breast cancer again.
Allison is our role model for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She is a force to be reckoned with, but warm and sweet at the same time. Her personality is infectious. Her eyes are full of light and kindness, yet at the same time, you immediately sense you would not want to throw down with Allison. Cancer didn’t stand a chance with this gal.
Asking Allison to share some final words of wisdom, Allison spoke of finding local support even beyond friends and family. She received from INOVA tremendous help from a local organization called, Life with Cancer. “They helped me with how to talk to my children about what was happening to mommy, and three things were key. One, it’s not your fault, two, it’s not contagious, and three, I’m going to look funny.” She also said her friends used the free scheduling service, Take Them a Meal to help schedule meals for the family. But, her biggest piece of advice was to get a mammogram. “I shouldn’t have had cancer. I didn’t fit the profile. That 10 minutes of discomfort saved my life.”
During the month of October, we will be again participating in Pink Hair for Hope, which has helped raise over $2.5 million dollars to date for cancer research and advocacy programs. Through this program, pink extensions can be added to your hair for $10, with the proceeds going to breast cancer research programs. We will also be donating $1 from every haircut in October to the local organization, the Tigerlily Foundation. And, kicking it off, we are hosting a Pink Hair for Hope night on Thursday, October 10th from 6-8 PM.