Humorist headlines cancer fundraiser

FREMONT -- When the oncologist told Pat Wynn Brown that she had cancer the first thing that she thought about was loosing her hair, the second was her mortality. These days the one-woman performer uses her talents to poke fun at her fascination with her hair -- all while raising money for a good cause.

With a little help from the Croghan Colonial Bank, Memorial Hospital Foundation, and United Way of Sandusky County, Brown will be performing in our area on Sunday, Oct. 19, at Grace Community Church on Smith Road in Fremont from 2-3:30 p.m. All proceeds will benefit Hospice of Memorial Hospital and the United Way's Cancer Care Fund.

The performance is a humorous monologue based on the life of a baby boomer whose formative years were the height of hair and music. Pat Wynn Brown tells the stories of her life though the evolution of her hairdos.

"Stories of our lives can be told through our wildest and wackiest hair dos and don'ts," said Pat Wynn Brown. "At every performance, the audience gets into the act at the show. Think of the Hair Theater episodes less as a formal play and more of an interactive, unplugged TV talk show."

In addition to her various humorist performances, Pat has written two books and launched a charity foundation that has provided 462 women, who were stricken with cancer, with wigs and hats. She has been highlighted on numerous television programs and has appeared in the New York Times, Chronicle for Philanthropy, Ohio Today magazine, and The Columbus Dispatch.

"I use hair as a metaphor for our life hopes and our life dreams," Pat said. "When we ask for a certain hairdo, it really reflects who we want to be, and how we want to live our lives. One sociologist said that hair is a lot more about identity than vanity."

Pat is a strong believer that life's lessons are best learned though laughter. In addition to providing her audience with an afternoon of good humor, she feels that she has done her job if one person is inspired to get to their physician for necessary screenings and tests. After all, early detection saves lives.

Tickets for the event are $15 and must be purchased in advance. To purchase tickets, call Chasity O'Neill, director of development at Memorial Hospital, at 419-334-6667 or send a note with a check made payable to Memorial Hospital Foundation to 715 S. Taft Ave., Fremont, OH 43420. Tickets can also be purchased in person at United Way of Sandusky County.