In 2010, when Dan Nguyen was diagnosed with leukemia, he received care at VGH’s Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Clinical trials give hundreds of patients like Dan access to new and potentially lifesaving treatments. His niece Kimberly Hoogendoorn, Senior Designer at LURE Salon, was so inspired by the treatment he received, she and her team at LURE wanted to give back to the hospital.Their event, Cut for the Cure, held at LURE in honour of her uncle, raised $30,000 for VGH’s Hematology Research and Clinical Trials Unit over two years.

Taking their efforts even further, they rallied the Vancouver salon community to come on board. Thanks to the participation of 13 salons across Vancouver, they expanded the event into the first annual Beautify Me Vancouver, held April 15-20, 2013.

“When I was with my uncle at VGH, one of the things that came up was how the Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is one of the best in the world,” says Kimberly. “A lot of their funds come from charity, and it just clicked with me.”

“Donations make a difference,” she adds. “I was so grateful they were able to do something for him that I wanted to give back as well. It was the right thing to do.”

Help the Hematology Research and Clinical Trials Unit find a cure.