A Chula Vista wig shop is making sure some of their most important customers are not forgotten during the pandemic. NBC 7’s Amber Frias reports.
Tucked inside the well-known Rico’s on 3rd salon in Chula Vista you’ll find Loving You Through It. The small wig shop was created by the salon’s owner, Snooky Rico.
Rico is a breast cancer survivor. She opened the wig shop back in 2015 while she was undergoing treatment.
“As someone that was going through it, I saw the hardships, so it was something I wanted to do out of love," said Rico.
Loving You Through It provides free wigs to cancer patients.
“You leave here and you feel so good,” said Christina Gomez, a cancer patient battling multiple myeloma. “She makes you feel so good.”
“As of right now I kind of am in the maintenance part of it,” said Gomez. “Unfortunately my type of cancer doesn’t go into remission. I am waiting for a bone marrow transplant."
A year ago, while undergoing chemotherapy, Gomez’s hair began to thin out.
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“It’s horrible,” said Gomez. “As a woman, you look in the mirror and you think you’re already going through this horrible disease and here you are losing your hair."
The small wig shop has seen hundreds of cancer patients like Gomez over the years but when COVID-19 hit things had to change.
“We had to be creative in how we serve cancer patients,” said Rico. “Unfortunately cancer goes on even through COVID."
Rico’s on 3rd closed entirely. The wig shop remained open but only for curbside pick up.
“They can come to pick up a wig and all the accessories that come with it,” said Rico. “We ask them for a picture of what their hair used to look like and their head measurements.”
COVID-19 also affected the shop financially. They were getting their wigs from the American Cancer Society, but that came to a stop during the pandemic.
“Now the American Cancer Society no longer has the wig resources necessary due to COVID.”
The shop still has the help of sponsors, but Rico says they'll have to budget themselves.
“I’m contacting wig shops and corporations to see if they can help us with wigs," said Rico.
Still, they're going to continue doing what they do. They don't plan on stopping.
“It's been a struggle, but it has also been a blessing,” said Rico. “I’ve found joy and a purpose.
Loving You Through It also delivers free groceries weekly to cancer patients who are unable to leave their homes.
If you are a cancer patient in need of a wig or groceries you can call (619) 779 - 7794.
