A way to grieve, a way to heal: Salon provides touches of hope, courage and love to cancer patients
Teresa Bryan, left, and Carolyn Smith hold a photo of their sister, Ruth Anne Arajuo, who died of cancer in 2005. Arajuo is the inspiration for Smith’s decision to provide free weekly services to cancer patients at her Indianapolis salon that offers pedicures, manicures, facials and massages. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)
By John Shaughnessy
It’s a story about the power of a dream.
Even more, it’s a story about the power of sisters—the ones we are given, the ones we have lost and the ones we choose to embrace.
It’s also a story of deep faith that takes place in an unlikely setting—a salon on the north side of Indianapolis that offers manicures, pedicures, facials and massages, a salon that also provides touches of hope, courage and love to the guests who come there.
Step inside the Ribbon Salon and meet Carolyn Smith, the woman at the heart of the story. For a long time, this member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis wanted to have her own salon. Finally, in June of 2010, she took the plunge, inspired by two women who have touched her life.
The first woman is honored by the statue that Smith displays in a corner of her shop—a statue of the Blessed Mother that was the first thing that Smith brought into her new business.
The second woman is remembered by the loving gesture that Smith and her staff provide every Monday—giving their services free of charge to people who have been diagnosed with cancer.
“My sister, Ruth, died of cancer five years ago,” Smith recalls. “She was three years older than me. It was a treasured sister relationship.”
A way to grieve, a way to heal
Like the story of most sisters, the story of Carolyn Smith, Ruth Anne Arajuo and Teresa Bryan is marked by shared memories and a powerful bond.
They shared a bedroom growing up, they were part of a family of eight children, and they stayed close even when the years and the miles separated them.
Ruth’s death on Aug. 13, 2005, was another devastating blow for their family, which has been hit hard by cancer. Two of their brothers, Thomas and Stephan Bryan, have died of colon cancer. Another brother, Robert Bryan, and Teresa Bryan are cancer survivors.
Thinking of her family’s history, Smith knew that she wanted to provide free services to cancer patients when she opened the Ribbon Salon last year. She began the weekly offer on July 26—Ruth’s birthday.
“This has been such a huge emotional experience—opening the salon and making it available for people who have cancer,” says Smith, who is 48. “My husband was injured in a work-related incident 10 years ago. We’ve struggled financially. This is a work in progress, especially in these economic times. I can’t tell you how much the grace of God is working here. It can be emotional. It’s a way of grieving for me, but it’s also a way of experiencing the joy of healing.”
Her sister, Teresa Bryan, often helps at the shop on Mondays.
“I’ve been in remission for five years now,” Bryan says. “I’ve been blessed. Carolyn wanted to do something in honor of our sister, and she’s made it happen. It’s a rich feeling to be with the other patients and survivors.”
The spirit of sisters
The bond of sisters isn’t just limited to blood relations. Sometimes it develops among female friends over a long period of time. At other times, it’s forged among women who endure a common pain or hardship.
Spend any part of a Monday at the Ribbon Salon and it’s soon clear that the bond of sisterhood runs deep there during that time. The “guests”—that’s what Smith calls the people who come on Mondays—can be heard talking, laughing and sharing stories about their lives.
“A lot of our guests have made friends here,” Bryan says. “They know what they’ve been through. They don’t have to hold back because the other person knows, too.”
That perspective is shared by a woman who has come to the salon for several Monday visits—a woman who has endured three months of chemotherapy and a mastectomy.
“It’s the commonality of spirit here that’s very important,” says the woman, who asked that her name not be used in this story. “We’re all trying to survive this. Sometimes you can’t talk to your family or your significant other about this. You have to have a lot of courage and hope. I have a lot of hope, but sometimes I have to work on the courage to face what’s next. There’s a spiritual element to this. I always feel uplifted.”
So do the women who volunteer on Mondays to add a touch of healing and pampering for the guests.
Carolyn Sieger provides skin care. Amy Redmond trims the wigs of the guests to make them look more natural and stylish. Smith does manicures while Kellie Redmond offers manicures and pedicures. Margaret Nale is a cancer survivor who uses massage therapy. Amy Fuller gives massages, too.
“Massage can help with the nausea of chemo, and the stress,” Fuller says. “They all just seem happy when they’re here. They forget for a moment what they’re going through. A lot of our guests who come in appreciate life more. They live in the moment, and value the small things more than most people.”
While one service a week is performed for free, there is a common currency that is exchanged often between the volunteers and the guests—a hug.
Guests who come on a regular basis get a hug from Smith when they walk into the salon. First-time visitors will receive one from her before they leave.
“Words don’t describe how generous and loving Carolyn is,” says a guest, who also asked to remain anonymous. “Her hug is worth a million bucks.”
That embrace of sisterhood also has a spiritual connection, guests say.
“It’s so wonderful that somebody is thinking of us who are going through treatments,” says Minnietta Millard, who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “Just the fact that they are thinking of us is so special. You don’t expect it from a private operator. When you go through a week of aches and pains, to have a massage is such a lift. When I get a massage, I know Amy is sending up prayers for me. I know there’s a faith connection there.”
A faith that stays strong
While each of the women who enter the Ribbon Salon leaves her own special touch on the shop, the most lasting impact on Smith comes from a woman she has always admired.
As she mentions the statue of the Blessed Mother in the corner, Smith says, “I have a strong devotion to our Lady. It was important to me to bring a symbol here of how I’m guided by the Blessed Mother. I was going through a hard time in my life when a friend gave me the statue.”
The deaths of her sister, two brothers and mother rocked Smith’s foundation, but that has never shattered her faith.
“It was my faith that brought me through everything,” Smith says.
“Ten years ago, I attended the Christ Renews His Parish program. As a group, we attended the rosary at Immaculate Heart [of Mary] at 6:30 in the morning. After that, I dedicated myself to that rosary group for three years. During that time, my mother died and my sister got cancer. I really feel fortunate that I have a strong connection with my faith and my Church and my friends. The Blessed Mother has worked through my life to keep my sights on the Lord.”
Now that she knows that peace in her life, Smith tries to share it with people who are faced with their own challenges. In a way, she believes that she is being the sister to others that Ruth was to her.
“Even though the loss of my brothers and sister has been difficult, it’s important for me to help others through their journeys,” Smith says. “I want to make life less difficult for them. It’s an amazing experience to bring together my faith and my love for people—to see the connections that we can make on a daily basis.” †
