ALTON/GODFREY - On Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, The Mirage Salon + Barbershop will host two fundraisers to raise money for a double mastectomy for one of their estheticians.
From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., people can stop by The Mirage at 222 Herbert Street in Alton for “Haircuts for Samantha,” where every haircut costs $20 and all proceeds go to Samantha Schaibly. The day will end with a music trivia night at 6 p.m. at the KC Hall in Godfrey, and attendees can enjoy a cash bar and silent auction with all the money benefiting Schaibly and her family.
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“It takes a village. I have a great village,” Schaibly said. “I’m very grateful for it.”
Schaibly, 31, has been with The Mirage for a year, during which she has gone to school full-time, passed her board exams to become a fully certified esthetician, and won a “Best of the Best” award. She added that her coworkers and clients have been “very supportive” through her recent struggles and ultimate decision to get a mastectomy after an MRI revealed a mass in her breast.
But Schaibly’s story really started when she was a child and lost her mother to breast cancer at age 9. In the years since then, she has received a mammogram and MRI every year. A genetic test revealed that she has a BRCA gene, and while it’s unclear whether or not it could lead to cancer, this has weighed heavily on Schaibly since 2018 when she received the first of several surgeries to remove benign masses in her breasts.
Earlier this year, she learned that she had another mass growing rapidly, and it’s unclear whether or not this one is malignant. While Schaibly had been resistant to a mastectomy in the past — “I was young and I was just like, ‘Absolutely not” — she started to rethink her stance when she learned a mastectomy would lower her risk of developing breast cancer by 95%. With five kids all under age 9, it was a quick decision.
“I’m older, I’m starting my career, I have another child, I have a family now; it’s completely different,” Schaibly said. “Especially when [my doctor] told me it would lower my risk by like 95%, it was kind of a no-brainer to me. I have kids. I grew up without my mom and I don’t want my kids to do that.”
Schaibly is slated to undergo the survey in April 2024. To prepare for that, The Mirage is holding these two fundraisers on Dec. 16, 2023, to support Schaibly through the surgery and recovery time.
“That’s what we’re raising money for, to kind of help her get through the hard times,” explained Andrea Guthrie, Schaibly’s coworker and friend. “The way we were able to throw it together was solely because we had so much support from the community. So many people showed up and helped and we have it all locked away. It’s going to be two great fundraisers.”
Guthrie noted Schaibly’s “superwoman” accomplishments over the past year. She said that The Mirage team “gently bullied” Schaibly about prioritizing her health and they were eager to come together to support her during this process.
“Haircuts for Samantha” runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until they run out of customers on Dec. 16. Haircuts cost $20. The trivia night starts at 6 p.m. at 1713 Stamper Lane in Godfrey. Tickets are $20 at the door and all money from ticket sales, t-shirts and the silent auction will go to Schaibly.
For more information about The Mirage Salon + Barbershop, visit their official website or Facebook page for more information. You can also check out the Haircuts for Samantha Facebook event or Music Trivia Benefit For Samantha Schaibly Facebook event.
You can also donate at Schaibly’s GoFundMe or Venmo @Samantha-Schaibly.
“I do love where I’m at. I’m really successful in a year. It’s crazy,” Schaibly added. For anyone also struggling, she encourages them to keep pushing. “Don’t give up. You never know.”
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