INDIANAPOLIS — It's easy for Sarah Pulley to relate to moms who sit in her chair, not only at her own hair salon in Carmel, but at the salon she helps run inside Riley Hospital for Children.
Pulley's daughter, Amelia, was born at just 27 weeks' gestation, spending 125 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"Her lungs were extremely fragile. She was just one pound four ounces when she was born," Pulley said.
"When your child, especially an infant, is in the NICU, you lose all sense of yourself," said Pulley, recalling her daughter's extended hospital stay.
She agrees that the last thing on any NICU parent's mind is self-care, but knows how much something as simple as a trip to the salon would have been a welcomed relief.
That's now possible, thanks to a newly-opened hair salon by the Ronald McDonald inside of the maternity ward at Riley Hospital for Children. It's an oasis for many weary NICU parents and caregivers staying nearby. Sarah proudly volunteers, using her expertise as both a hairstylist and an understanding mom.
The beauty bar has only been open for a few weeks, but it's already rewarding.
"The first mom was unable to have her hair shampooed and so I just did a scalp massage, and you could just see her physically relax and breathe, and how amazing is that?" said Pulley.
Sarah is open to sharing her own story as an inspiration to other moms. Little Amelia is 4 now and loving her role as a big sister.
But often she's just a listening ear.
"Moms come in and get their hair shampooed or get it blow dried. You know, just 20 minutes to rest their eyes or just speak and talk one on one," Pulley said.
The salon is run entirely by volunteer stylists. Sarah is the first. It's only open once a week right now, but that will change as more stylists are already signing up to share their time.
"It's not going to grow much more than shampoos and blow dry and maybe a quick style because it's not what it's about," Pulley said. "But it's about so much more than shampooing hair."
What other people are reading: