Shaved solidarity
By BILL BENGTSON
If bald is beautiful, Dana Morris and several friends helped create a scene of exceptional beauty Thursday evening, in a statement of solidarity against cancer.
Six of her buddies are now "slick" individuals, having been buzzed at The Men's Refinery in a display of solidarity with Morris, whose hair is gone due to her treatments for breast cancer.
Wielding the trimmers and razor in the Jackson Square "barber spa" were Jessica Smith and shop owner Shelley Craft. They made quick work of Robb Smith, Russell Little, Steve Kenrick, Nyles Ellefson, Justin Courtney and Gerald Brown.
Morris, a 4K teacher's aide with First Baptist Church of North Augusta, knows the six shaved men through their membership in the congregation. She said her chemotherapy treatments are likely to reach into November.
"I still have a ways (to go), but that's all right," she said. "It could be worse."
She noted another strong First Baptist connection with her combat against cancer, as her surgeon, Dr. Randy Cooper, is also her Sunday school teacher. He helped set the stage for her oncologist, Dr. Mark Keaton, at University Hospital.
Morris noted that the haircuts were originally intended to be a surprise to her, in conjunction with the Relay For Life, but the cat got out of the bag. "They wanted to surprise me ... and once they realized that The Star was going to be there, and Channel 12 (WRDW-TV) and all that were going to be there, then that's when they thought, 'Well OK, then Dana needs to be there.'"
She also commented on her rude medical surprise, which came to her attention as she was taking a shower. "None of this is bothering me, and a lot of people just say I'm an inspiration for them, because I don't have time for a pity party. It's just my faith, and I'm just not worried about it."
