Local Hair Salon Raises Funds For Hospice’s Corynna’s Wish Fund

Pictured at the drawing, left to right, Mindy Stebbins, Kristi Strawser, hair salon stylist Rhonda Peters, Jenny Messler, and Carolyn Beck. Not pictured is stylist Angie Rosengarten.

Absolute Hair, 639 Wagner Rd. in Greenville, recently held a raffle with proceeds going to Corynna’s Wish, a wish granting program established by State of the Heart Hospice in memory of Corynna Strawser who died a year ago under the care of the local nonprofit agency. The raffle raised $600 for the special wish program. Corynna, 16, suffered from Mitochondrial Disease, a rare disease that has no cure and is fatal.

“This is a perfect example of how Corynna’s pay it forward philosophy works,” said Mindy Stebbins, Director of Business Development for State of the Heart, adding that this is the first fund raiser done by an independent group. State of the Heart last month did a Glow Ball Golf Tournament with proceeds going to the wish program. “We truly appreciate the efforts of all the staff at Absolute Hair and are grateful for their gift to us.”

Jenny Messler, co-owner of Absolute Hair, stated, “Although I never personally met Corynna, her story touched my heart. Corynna was such a unique beautiful young lady with a terminal illness at a very young age. We wanted to do something special in honor of her, so all of us at Absolute hair decided to do the fund raiser. “They raffled off a Chi flat iron and blow dryer bag with a carry-on bag. Kristi Strawser, Corynna’s mother pulled the winning ticket on Friday, November 28.

Carolyn Beck, a co-owner with Messler, said she was personally touched by Corynna’s story as she has a niece that has a rare disease that is difficult to treat. “I felt a connection with Corynna realizing there was someone in my family facing a terrible disease,” she said.

Corynna believed strongly in “paying it forward” and in helping others benefit from her efforts to draw attention to the disease which claimed her life. Her story and the outpouring of love and support for her prompted State of the Heart to create “Corynna’s Wish.” State of the Heart Hospice patients can apply for funding to fulfill a wish they cannot afford financially, or can’t physically do. Thus far, one wish has been granted. An Indiana patient and his fiancé took a trip to Florida allowing the couple to enjoy the sunset and sunrise on the beach one last time.

Messler added, “We want to see other terminally ill patients’ wishes come true, so we did the raffle with the proceeds going to ‘Corynna’s Wish’.”

State of the Heart Hospice, with offices in Greenville, Coldwater and Portland, cares for patients in eastern Indiana and western Ohio who are confronting a life limiting illness. For more information about the services provided by the agency, or to learn more about Corynna’s Wish, visit the web site at www.stateoftheheartcare.org.