Family plans hair-raising fund-raiser for ACS

by Wyoma Groenenberg
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 12:46 PM MDT

Wanted: hair, long length a plus, and sponsors who will pay a fee per inch of hair that has been cut.

Two sisters, Natallie Brooks and Mandi DeLeon, have taken their efforts for the upcoming Relay For Life beyond just walking around the track at Kelly Walsh High School’s Geldien Stadium on Aug. 1-2.

They’re planning a hair-raising fund-raiser called 72 Hours of Love. The proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society (ACS) to help research to find a cure for cancer in its many forms.

And cancer, in its many types, “runs deep” in the DeLeon family, but so do the family members’ caring and reaching out to others.

“We’ve all put so much work into it, and we haven’t slept in months,” Natallie said about their efforts for Relay For Life, as well as the Climb to Conquer Cancer held in June.

“We’re happy to do this,” Natallie said. “We love to do it, so it’s OK.”

On their Relay For Life team, called Save the Mamas, the sisters are joined by their mother, younger sister and daughters/nieces -- most adorned with long hair -- and many friends.

United with Mandi and Natallie in getting their hair cut will be their younger sister, Leticia Duran, 15, and Mandi’s two daughters, 12-year-old Alysia and 7-year-old Hannah Mendoza, both whose hair is quite long.

Natallie’s daughter, Brooklyn, who’s almost 2, will be getting her first haircut as part of the event. Her hair is short, but she’ll get to be a part of it, her mom noted.

72 Hours of Love will start on July 30 at Ego Trip, 605 S. Center (phone 472-4380). The proceeds from haircuts given during that time will go to the ACS, according to Natallie.

Haircuts will be $10 for adults, $8 for children and anyone with eight or more inches of hair to be cut will receive the service free. The hair will be sent to Locks of Love.

The event will end on the morning of Relay For Life, Aug. 2.

Save the Mamas will have other events at Relay, including a lemonade stand, and ice cream made with help from The Science Zone.

Rosalie DeLeon, mother of Natallie and Mandi, won’t be getting her hair cut, but she’s helping with many other aspects.

“I’m very proud of them that they’ve taken the step to reach out and help so many people,” she said about her daughters.

Rosalie’s mother died from cancer, and she and Natallie both had breast cancer scares a couple of years ago.

Their relatives have suffered from colon, liver, thyroid, cervical and brain cancers.

Reaching out

After last year’s Relay For Life, the relatives, mostly female, decided to get their hair cut this year at Relay, with donations going to Locks of Love.

“We just thought it was something we could do after Relay … all of a sudden, we’re really gung-ho about everything,” Natallie explained.

So with their passion to help others, they started to let their hair grow out and organized the event, starting small.

It eventually turned into a three-day event, and Natallie was able to get 72 Hours of Love proclaimed as an official time by the City of Casper.

Locally, Mandi is said to never stop talking to her co-workers at Airgas about the event, and even inspired some of them to get their hair cut.

After starting the plans, Natallie got onto MySpace and talked about the event.

Then, the interest started moving across the nation because of the Internet and word of mouth.

A salon in Odessa, Texas, sent in an envelope of hair after hearing about the drive. Individuals, from as far away as Florida, have pledged to send their hair in as well, Natallie said, adding that the event has gotten bigger than she ever imagined.

Mamas save the world

These sisters and their family members say they’ll continue to help others, and Mandi said that Natallie is out to save the world.

According to Natallie, “I just want these girls to know that anything is possible. … I always tell them you don’t know if you don’t try.”

In addition to cancer in the family, Mandi has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 19, noting that she’s not going to let it “get her” or make her quit.

The women and the girls also support many other causes, such as Invisible Children, No More Victims, suicide prevention, the American Heart Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association among others.

Natallie and Mandi give each other credit for making 72 Hours of Love happen, each saying the other did more.

But they both give the ultimate credit to God.

“We do it for God’s glory, not for ourselves,” Mandi said.

Natallie added, “I just feel like I'm taking credit for someone else’s accomplishments sometimes. I'm so sure that what I have done is just proof of what one can accomplish with God by their side.”

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