At the end of March, Authentic Beauty Makeup Salon & Brow Studio attended the Quiet Heroes annual luncheon put on by CURE Childhood Cancer to honor mothers of children with cancer. Aly and her talented team of makeup artists in Atlanta provided free makeup services to these amazing women prior to the event to give them a moment of reprieve where they could feel taken care of after all they have been through.
These moms are no strangers to adversity, heartbreak, difficulty, frustration, and everything in between as they watch their babies battle cancer. And the Quiet Heroes event is a reminder that they matter and provides inspiration, hope, a day of relaxation, laughs, encouragement and more as they carry the weight of having a child with cancer.
“We’ve been doing makeup for Quiet Heroes for 13 years now, and this event is one of the most important causes for me personally, and for my company,” said Alyson Howard-Hoag, CEO & Founder of Authentic Beauty. “For one day each year, this luncheon centers on bringing support, empowerment, and care for these Quiet Heroes who are going through a devastating and unimaginable event in their lives. We want to make them feel pampered and pretty going into this luncheon that honors them,” Aly added.
Authentic Beauty Honors These Amazing Atlanta Moms in the Fight Against Childhood Cancer
As Mother’s Day fast approaches, Authentic Beauty is highlighting two true Authentic Beauties, Jessica Eachus and Catherine Bastow, who are no strangers to childhood cancer.
Jessica Eachus:
Jessica’s son Drew was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 5, and his treatment included over 27 different types of chemotherapy, radiation, 35 spinal taps, countless side effects and more. Sadly, many of the drugs used to treat childhood cancers are often antiquated and the drugs are mostly made for adults and not for kids.
“That’s why CURE is a very important cause near and dear to us,” Jessica said, and with less than 4% of federal cancer research funding being allocated to childhood cancers, events like Quiet Heroes are integral to families and children alike.
After three grueling years of treatment, Drew was given the all-clear from cancer. Jessica’s son has been cancer free for 2 years now, and she and her husband also give back often. She has been fundraising for the nonprofit for years, and she has been involved with the auction committee for Quiet Heroes, while her husband is on the Board of Directors with CURE.
“We give as much as we can to CURE. It is my favorite charity, and every dollar you give to them goes directly to kids,” Jessica said. “80% of their funding goes to research and 20% goes towards family services,” Jessica added, and that includes meals, counseling, financial assistance and more in support of families devastated by a childhood cancer diagnosis. In terms of childhood cancer research, CURE Childhood Cancer invests more than $4.7 million annually in promising childhood cancer research.
“The Quiet Heroes event is my favorite, and I got invited for the past 4 years but I couldn’t go to the luncheon until my son was done with treatment,” she said.
As to Authentic Beauty’s involvement in the event, Jessica added that “Alyson has been wonderful to do makeup for Quiet Heroes all these years, and moms can come early to the event, get their makeup done, and feel extra pretty for the day.”
Catherine Bastow
Catherine Bastow met Alyson at the Quiet Heroes event this year and she got her makeup done by Aly. “I got a makeup touchup before the event and I am really glad I did,” Catherine said, and the luncheon was a welcoming one of warmth and support given what she and her family went through over the last three years.
Catherine’s son Jax was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in 2020 when he was just 2 years old, and as an adult bone marrow transplant nurse, Jessica is no stranger to cancer treatment options for kids. “Up until 5 years ago, there really weren’t any good options for neuroblastoma for kids. It had a horrible cure rate, and the drugs my son got are the same drugs that I have given to adults the past 14 years as a practicing nurse,” she said. Sadly, only 1 drug out of well over 15 drugs Jax was taking was actually made for kids.
“They call Jax’s treatment the kitchen sink method and he was given every kind of chemotherapy, radiation, transplant, you name it, and they gave it all to him,” she added. Fortunately, on Wednesday of this week, Catherine found out Jax’s cancer is now in remission, and she said he is a wonderfully wild child who goes, goes, goes from the time he wakes up until the time he goes to bed.
For her, CURE Childhood Cancer is a necessity in the field of childhood cancer research and helping families like hers in the day-to-day battle too. Post treatment, Jax has side effects including “adrenal issues, hearing issues, and that is what we know so far,” she said. Having cancer treatments made specifically for children like Jax could be a gamechanger. More specifically, “they (CURE) helped us with numerous bills, with therapies they offer, and they provided meals, boredom bags, and more,” she said, and events like Quiet Heroes are also important. “It is hard to describe but it was so nice to connect with people that you don’t have to explain yourself to at the luncheon, and it was nice to be pampered,” Catherine said.
How Can You Get Involved with Quiet Heroes and CURE Childhood Cancer?
This Mother’s Day, Authentic Beauty salutes Jessica, Catherine, and all the moms and Quiet Heroes who are battling childhood cancer alongside their children. And there is something you can do to help too.
CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through funding targeted research while supporting patients devastated by a childhood cancer diagnosis. They also provide meals, counseling, financial assistance and more as they walk alongside families throughout their cancer journey.
To donate to this incredible lifesaving cause, click here. Also, save the date for next year’s Quiet Heroes luncheon which will be held on March 23, 2024. Learn more about Quiet Heroes here.
