MILWAUKEE — A typical trip to the hair salon is anything but commonplace for 76-year-old cancer survivor Margie Shellpheffer.
Key Takeaways From A Cancer Survivor
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. A solid support system of friends and family is key to recovery
- Make routine mammograms a priority, even if there is no history of breast cancer in your family
- Always remember to take the time to show kindness and empathy, because you never know what someone might be going through
She’s been friends with her hair stylist, Scott Yance, founder of Scottfree Salons, for years.
But that friendship became an unbreakable bond when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Shellpheffer said she never saw her diagnosis coming because she has no family history of the disease.
“I didn’t expect this. So when I went in for my mammogram, I expected it to be like every other year and it would be just fine, and it wasn’t,” said Shellpheffer.
She underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, along with chemotherapy and radiation. Out of every challenge she faced, she said losing her hair was one of the toughest.
Despite her doctor’s warnings, Shellpheffer said she was in deep denial that she would actually lose her hair — until the day she suddenly found herself holding large clumps of her blonde locks in her hands.
“That was probably one of the worst days of my whole life because my hair is something I really always liked… and the thought that I was losing it was really almost impossible to imagine,” recalled Shellpheffer.
So, she called Yance and told him it was time to shave her head. It turns out Yance was also in denial about the severity of her illness.
“She kind of helped me through it,” recalled Yance. “I shaved her head, we cut the wig for her, and we typically talk for a good hour and a half, and I don’t know if she realizes it, but I hastily gave her a hug and said listen to the doctor, you’ve got to go, ‘ah,’ and I went in the back room and cried my eyes out.”
It was a stark reminder to Yance how fragile life is and to always make the time to show kindness.
Shellpheffer said Yance’s empathy helped her heal.
“It just made me feel better. It just, you know, bolstered your spirits, and made me confident that all this too would pass. And it has,” she said.
Shellpheffer is now cancer free. She said she encourages people to not be afraid to ask for help. The support from her family and friends was indispensable, she said.
Shellpheffer emphasized how important routine mammograms are, even if there is no family history with the illness.