Toledo Victory Center Gives Away 3,000th Free Wig
A Toledo cancer support center just reached a milestone three decades in the making: 3,000 free wigs given to patients facing their toughest battle. The Victory Center's recent fashion show fundraiser brought in $82,000 to keep these lifesaving services running at no cost to families.
When cancer takes your hair, a $3,000 wig shouldn't be out of reach. That's the belief driving Toledo's Victory Center, which just gave away its 3,000th free wig to a patient who needed it.
The milestone came on March 18 at the center's Perrysburg location. For 30 years, this nonprofit has been quietly changing lives by removing one of cancer's cruelest financial burdens.
"Each wig we provide represents a person facing one of the toughest battles of their life," said Dianne Barndt, the center's executive director. The Wig Bank program is just one of many free services the center offers to cancer patients and their families.
To keep those services running, 584 supporters gathered in February for the center's 19th Annual Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg. The "Courageous in Coral" event raised $82,000 in a single afternoon.
Cancer survivors walked the runway alongside local news personalities, modeling spring fashions from boutiques like Ragazza, JJill, and Chico's. The real show stopper was Beth Wagoner, who beat breast cancer twice and once rappelled down Toledo's Edison building for the Victory Center.
Wagoner had double mastectomies in 2000 and faced another diagnosis in 2022. She walked the runway's grand finale with her granddaughter Lucie, showing everyone what survivorship looks like.
The event gave special recognition to cancer survivors who've beaten the disease for more than 30 years. They received a standing ovation that brought many to tears.
The Ripple Effect
The $82,000 raised will help hundreds more patients access free wigs, counseling, support groups, and practical resources. When one family doesn't have to choose between rent and a wig, everyone wins.
The center isn't slowing down either. An art show and 30th anniversary celebration happens April 25, featuring a new mural painted by St. Ursula Academy students. In May, Celebrity Wait Night brings the community together again.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Toledo, patient number 3,001 is getting fitted for a wig they'll never see a bill for.
Based on reporting by Google News - Cancer Survivor
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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