SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — An Ohio hair salon became more than just that for one stylist. It became her way to get through breast cancer and a way that she’s now using to help others.

What You Need To Know

  • When Hair Stylist Sunna Bass was diagnosed with breast cancer, she lost all of her hair going through treatment 

  • What she went through was what fueled her to start a new mission helping other survivors 
  • She helps through her non-profit and at her salon, styling hair and helping pick out wigs 

Ever since she could remember Sunna Bass could style hair. 

“I was just living the life, doing hair, traveling and stuff,” said Bass. 

That all changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

“When my hair came out because I did have to go through chemo, all I could think about was the Bible, ‘a woman’s hair is her glory.’ I lost it when mine came out,” said Bass. 

She said she didn’t feel like herself until someone helped her. 

“I had a friend that told me before my hair came out, 'let's go get you a wig' so, when it does you’ll be ready,” said Bass. 

It’s the reason, more than 20 years after that diagnosis, treatment and surgery, that she survived and started a nonprofit forsurvivors. 

“You can get advice, you can get money, you can get mammograms from other places. For us, we just wanna pamper you, do your eyebrows, do your hair, just make you feel good,” said Bass. 

It's a feeling, Winnie Stinnett knows all too well. 

"I had both of my breasts removed in '87,” said Stinnett. 

She said what got her through treatment was her humor.

“My grandson asked me, he said 'grandma, what did they do with your breasts?' I said 'they threw them in the wastebasket cause they were no good anymore,'” said Stinnett.

And her hair is a reminder of what it took to get to this point.

“It makes me feel good, because that’s what life is all about, is giving back to people. You learn and you pass it on, you help others,” said Bass. 

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