Wig program is a boost of confidence to women facing cancer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - For some women diagnosed with cancer, the thought of losing their hair can sometimes be overwhelming.

At Kentucky CancerLink, they want to try and ease that fear through a program that provides wigs at no cost.

In this month’s Link to Hope, how one simple wig made a Lexington woman feel pretty again during her diagnosis.

Lindsay Parrish is someone who fights for others. She is no stranger to the issues. As a campaign manager, she helped the late State Representative Lamin Swann get elected to Frankfort.

She believes in using her voice to champion change.

“To me being involved in the community, especially locally here in Lexington and with legislators in Frankfort I just want what’s best for our community,” said Lindsay Parrish.

So, it’s no surprise when she found herself staring down a breast cancer diagnosis that she would once again use her voice.

This past January, at the age of 39, Parrish found a lump, and when she finally got in to have it checked the news wasn’t good.

“It was benign, it was not cancer, but they found invasive and non-invasive breast cancer, and it had gotten into my lymph nodes,” said Parrish.

Parrish has endured eight rounds of tough chemo and the hardest part was facing losing her hair.

“My hair was everything to me, I twirl it nonstop,” said Parrish.

And this is where using her voice comes in. She is now singing the praises of a service offered by Kentucky CancerLink.

Her nurses helped connect her with Kentucky CancerLink which provides wigs free of charge to people with cancer. And, for Parrish, having a wig provided was such a boost of confidence.

“My sister and I came here, and everybody was just lovely from the front desk, all the girls in the back that helped me pick out my wigs. They gave me a goody bag,” said Parrish.

Suddenly losing the hair that meant so much to her wasn’t as frightening as she imagined.

“It just made me feel pretty for the day to come and supported,” said Parrish.

For Lindsay Parrish, something as defining as a new head of hair has been her link to hope, and it’s giving this woman who often advocates for others a new purpose to fight.

“Now, I have my own personal story about breast cancer, and anyway I can help people, you know people’s experiences grow them,” said Parrish.

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