Charity brings out beauty in cancer patients

Cancer is one of the most well-known diseases, and while the physical symptoms are well-documented, the mental strain from battling the horrible illness can take its toll. Now five Long Island residents have banded together to form a nonprofit, The Basic Six Inc., that helps women fighting cancer feel beautiful again, creating a six product, six-minute beauty routine which is not too physically demanding and can help restore self-confidence and a sense of personal beauty.

The members of The Basic Six originally met through the American Cancer Society, according to founding members June Bleich and Jorge Hernandez. They and the other four founders, Thomas Kechejian, Guillermo Roa and Richard Ziminski, all worked for the Cancer Society’s “Look Good, Feel Better” program, which is “dedicated to improving the appearance, confidence and self-esteem of individuals undergoing cancer treatment” according to their website.

Bleich said that seven years ago the Cancer Society broke ties with the program, causing her and the founding members of The Basic Six to come up with the idea of starting their own similar organization. She added that an important aspect of creating the organization was in establishing a quick and physically non-taxing beauty regime, making it easier for women undergoing chemotherapy to do.

“I said to the guys, we need something fast, we need something inexpensive and that’s doable for every woman,” Bleich said. “It’s empowering, it really is, for a woman who has lost her hair, her brows, her lashes, every part of her aesthetic that is so important, to see that replaced in six minutes is fabulous.”

The charity held their first event on Sept. 26 at Hernandez’s hair salon, Morel Hair Design in Locust Valley. Hernandez and Kechejian, who are professional cosmetologists also certified to provide cancer patients with makeup services through their prior work with the Cancer Society, gave two women undergoing chemotherapy makeovers while teaching them to replicate it for themselves.

Hernandez said that they hope to hold similar events two Mondays every month going forward, and that the charity would be offering the service in both English and Spanish. There is also a therapy dog, a chocolate lab named Molly, in attendance during the session, to help reduce stress and provide comfort for the women.

Hernandez explained that women undergoing chemotherapy, in addition to the well-known hair loss, also often experience skin discoloration and other physical issues which can affect their appearance. He said that by making the process easy and providing suggestions tailored to an individual’s skin tone, it’s possible for any woman to feel beautiful again.

“We teach them the technique using whatever they’re comfortable with, but we give them suggestions as to what they can use if there’s certain cosmetics that have certain components and ingredients that are not good for that skin type,” Hernandez said.

Anyone seeking to learn more about The Basic Six or looking to donate can visit TheBasicSix.com for more details.