 "Photo: Adriana Dail / THE DAILY GAMECOCK")
For many young women, the idea of getting married has been a fantasy since they were children. Over the weekend, brides-to-be had the opportunity to give back to women like themselves while shopping for the dresses of their dreams.
On Oct. 17 and 18, Alala, LLC, a Columbia-based boutique and support system for women who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis or are survivors, sponsored “Leaving Cancer at the Altar,” a dress sale to benefit area cancer research charities.
The two-day event, held at the Discovery I building downtown, was a fundraising effort for USC’s Cancer Research and Prevention Center as well as the Alala Cancer Society and Making Memories Foundation. The sale featured wedding dresses ranging in price from $99 to $799 and formal cocktail and bridesmaids dresses for as low as $35.
Alala, pronounced “a-lay-la,” was founded by Kim Neel and her fellow Girl Scout leader Sherry Norris in 2006. Both women are survivors. On the store’s Web site, the owners describe their business as “a unique boutique for today’s surviving woman.” The name comes from Greek mythology where “Alala” is defined as “the female spirit of the war cry.” The owners have “declared war on traditional sales and service” in the evolving procedures of cancer treatment.
First-year students Rebecca Mascaro and Erin Tingley both volunteered at the event on Sunday afternoon as their pledge class philanthropy for their sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha.
“Breast cancer has affected lots of Zeta families and 100 percent of the proceeds go toward breast cancer awareness and education,” Mascaro said.
Vanessa Cox, an employee at the House of Representatives in Columbia, was at the sale to sell some of her jewelry.
“The event coordinators were in need of vendors and this is a really good cause, so I decided to participate,” Cox said.
Kimberly Belk, a registered nurse, was one of many vendors present at this weekend’s event. She is the owner of Belk’s Wigs, a business that represents over 20 manufacturers of wigs and hairpieces for patients who suffer from temporary or permanent hair loss.
Belk is a 31-year survivor of ovarian cancer and suffers from permanent hair loss herself. Belk was inspired to start her business because she spent “thousands of dollars on wigs that were not fit to be worn in public.”
“I’m not just the owner, I’m a wearer!” Belk said. “I had no idea how people suffered [from hair loss] until I suffered myself.”
Belk provided two wigs to a young bride in West Virginia who suffered from cancer. The young woman’s boyfriend proposed to her when she was battling cancer and the Make a Wish foundation paid for her wedding. When diagnosed, the woman lost 80 percent of her heart functioning, but she survived and is now a mother.
Two missions were accomplished this weekend: several brides-to-be were able to find the dresses of their dreams and local charities raised money to help make strides in cancer treatment and research.
