Two Tauranga women are giving people the chance to show their support for cancer patients by simply adding to their T-shirt collection.
Papamoa artist Sue Douglas and businesswoman Steph Bonner have teamed up to create a series of fundraising T-shirts, uniquely screen printed with designs that highlight what it means toface and overcome cancer. Most designs feature stylised female portraits.
The third design in their series was unveiled this week during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Interest in their first two designs was so overwhelming they ran out of certain sizes but more have been produced to cater for the growing demand. Sue and Steph say that at $35 the T-shirts are affordable, with $5 from every T-shirt going towards cancer-related charities.
The first cheque will go to the new Lions' Lodge in Hamilton where hundreds of Tauranga patients stay each year while undergoing cancer-related treatment at Waikato Hospital.
The idea for the T-shirts originally came from Steph who wanted Sue to design tops that could be worn by staff at her two hair salons.
Having already lost a friend to breast cancer and knowing other women affected by cancer in some way, Steph says the idea soon blossomed into a fundraising venture.
"The people I know all have touching stories and this process has reopened the wound for me of losing my friend. But we're so pleased to be doing it and the support we've received has been wonderful with so many people donating their services for nothing."
Sue spent months working on concepts, firstly making charcoal sketches which were reproduced graphically by Natalie Douglas from cravedesign. Later, they were digitally screen printed on to black, white and grey T-shirts at Tauranga's Chromatone Screenprints.
Through word-of-mouth and having staff wear the T-shirts, dozens have sold, prompting ideas for even more designs and a wider range of products, including bags, hoodies and T-shirts for men.
T-shirts can be purchased directly from Woman Hair salons in Fashion Island and Cambridge Heights or online at www.womanhair.co.nz.
