Men looking to lock their locks into summer position could help a good cause while getting their trim this weekend.
On Sunday, June 3, Gregory’s Barbershop at 5 Southside Drive in Clifton Park will hold a Cut-A-Thon from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to raise money for The Scleroderma Foundation Tri-State, Inc. Chapter.
Twenty dollars will get you a haircut and help to provide research and resources for those suffering from the autoimmune disease scleroderma. If you don’t need a trim, or you’re female, you can still help out by stopping in and donating.
Wendy Franze is a barber at Gregory’s. She had the idea for a fundraiser after learning that her sister in law, Amy Franze was diagnosed with scleroderma, the often progressive disease affecting connective tissues of the body. Approximately 300,000 people across the U.S. are living with the disease, about the number who have multiple sclerosis.
The Scleroderma Foundation Tri-State, Inc. Chapter, located in Binghamton, is the leading non-profit supporter of scleroderma research and funds more than $1 million in new grants every year. The national foundation started about 30 years ago. The Tri-State Chapter raises awareness of the disease, raises funds for research and provides support services for those suffering from the disease in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Gregory’s has been participating in various fundraisers, including Coaches versus Cancer, Wildwood Programs and Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, for the past 40 years.
“The community has been very good to us … we give back whenever we can,” said master barber Gregory Zorian III, owner of Gregory’s. He added that he was glad to help Franze in the effort.
The cause of scleroderma is unknown, although it is thought to have either a “trigger event” or a “genetic component.” One of the largest demographics affected by the disease is women in their 30s through their 50s.
It is a painful, life altering disease that can also be fatal. In a “localized” form it can cause a thickening and tightening of the skin as well as other connective tissues. A “systemic” form of the disease causes serious damage to internal organs including the lungs, heart, kidneys, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract.
Franze said that her sister-in-law had symptoms of “localized” scleroderma three years ago, after having her son. She experienced severe swelling and stiffness of the joints.
“When the pain started to get worse she went to her family physician. … They discovered she had an autoimmune disease and sent her to a rheumatologist to do some more testing. She then found out she had scleroderma,”Franze said.
Holding local fundraisers like the Cut-A-Thon helps the foundation reach out to communities, said Tri-State Scleroderma Foundation Executive Director Jay Peak.
“Scleroderma over produces collagen, becoming like scar tissue. … If you think of having a cut on your hand and you get this nice scar…it can be hard to move and stretch. With scleroderma, that can happen to your entire skin,” said Peak.
The foundation helps those who are newly diagnosed get in touch with the right resources, including doctors. And it also shares expert information obtained from doctors and other professionals
Franze said that Amy is doing well.
“The disease does affect her hands but she is a strong and independent person and she does not let it get in her way of everyday activity. She is now going to school to be an RN at Schenectady Community College,” she said.
Gregory’s is also partnering with Top My Pizza next door in Village Plaza, where 15 percent of sales will go help The Scleroderma Foundation.
On Sunday, June 10, there is also a walk for the Scleroderma Foundation at Crossgates Mall sponsored by the Albany Capital District Scleroderma Foundation. For more information on the walk or scleroderma visit scleroderma.org.