Hairdressers celebrate life of customer who battled cancer

Beautifully Gorgeous in Parkstone held a Salon Party in memory of Helen Coghlan, from Poole, who lost her fight with breast cancer in February 2021.

The party raised funds for the local charity Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF), which paid for Helen to have acupuncture during her illness, to help with her pain.

DCCF offers financial assistance to Dorset people and their families who are living with a cancer diagnosis - paying for household and transport costs and for special equipment and therapies.

Owner of Beautifully Gorgeous, Natalie Cranston said: “We all count ourselves extremely lucky to have known Helen. She was a very fun and very down to earth lady who bravely battled cancer for a very long time.

“As hairdressers for Helen and her daughter Danika we had regular glimpses of the difficulties they faced during her treatment and later when her cancer sadly advanced and her condition worsened.

“We shaved Helen’s head when cancer treatment led to her losing her hair and we were all honoured to style hers and her daughter’s hair on Danika’s wedding day, when Helen was very poorly. What she went through touched us all.”

Speaking about the event Natalie said: “We had always intended to hold a party in Helen’s honour, but unfortunately Covid intervened on more than one occasion.

“When we went to Danika and Helen’s husband Colin and asked if we could do something this year, they were very pleased and we were delighted when they came along.

“It was a lovely, fun celebration of her life, with raffles and treatments and the party has raised just over £760 so far, with donations still coming in.

“This money will now go to DCCF which kindly paid £400 for Helen to have acupuncture, which helped to relieve her pain during her treatment.

“We will never forget Helen and it’s lovely to know that the money we have raised through the party will now be used by DCCF to help other Dorset families.”