CV-TEC cosmotology student Allison Heroux puts the finishing touches on state Assemblyman Billy Jones’ pink hair dye job Thursday. (Provided photo — Cara Chapman, Press Republican)

PLATTSBURGH — State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones emerged from the CV-TEC salon Thursday with a fuchsia tint to his locks.

The Democrat from Chateaugay Lake had struck a deal with the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink of Northern New York chapter: If they raised $30,000 in the month of October, he would dye his hair pink to help raise awareness for breast cancer.

The group of 22 local men hit that goal earlier this week. By Thursday, their total had climbed to $35,444.

“We’ve all been affected by someone that has had cancer, breast cancer, or we know somebody that’s been affected by that,” Jones said.

“This is just such an important cause, it really is, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”

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Progress

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Sporting the faded remnants of pink highlights she got earlier this month, American Cancer Society Community Development Manager Joan Sterling said she sees the fundraiser as a positive light in such a dark time.

“It’s just been a nice camaraderie in our community.”

Most of the money raised will go toward research, which has already made such a difference in the lives of women, Sterling said.

“We may need to still have to have a lumpectomy or we may have to have a mastectomy, but we’re going to live.”

That hits home for Sterling as both her parents died from cancer, but two sisters who were diagnosed with skin and breast cancer are surviving.

“So we may have lost our parents, but we are making such progress that my siblings are beating it and I’m very thankful for that.”

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“Do what we can”

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Two of the Real Men Wear Pink who joined Jones in changing their appearance for a noble cause were Sterling’s son Mark Brown, who works at Champlain Valley Educational Services BOCES, and Eric McDowell from UFirst Federal Credit Union.

Brown had his beard bleached, then dyed a bright pink. Due to work, McDowell had CV-TEC students spray his hair with temporary color.

McDowell says the cause touches him personally through family, as his mother-in-law is a breast cancer survivor. This year, his fourth, he has raised $1,340.

“It’s important for the community to raise awareness for this really important disease,” he told The Press-Republican.

Rolla Parker Jr. from Parker Chevrolet is also a Real Men Wear Pink veteran. As of Thursday, he had brought in $805.

He said he has seen relatives as well as mothers of the girls hockey players he coaches go through breast cancer. His team does a lot to raise awareness as well.

Parker said he probably would dye both his hair and goatee pink.

“It’s a great organization and we have a lot of fun trying to do what we can for the community, and the women in the community.”

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Get mammograms

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Jones said the real thanks goes to the 22 men who participated in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign, and stressed the need to spread awareness for women to get their mammograms done, which can lead to early detection of breast cancer and a much better prognosis.

He noted how State Sen. Betty Little recently came out with her own story of early diagnosis. A routine mammogram over the summer discovered a small lump that neither she nor her doctor could detect in one of her breasts.

Earlier this month, she underwent a lumpectomy to remove the tumor as well as five days of radiation.

“She came out simply for the reason to get people to get their mammograms,” Jones said.

The assemblyman hopes that, when people see him with his pink hair, they will think to remind their mothers, daughters or aunts about getting themselves screened.

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Wonderful community

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Jones remarked that, since last year’s fundraiser brought in $20,000, the fact that the Real Men had so far brought in $35,000 showed how wonderful the community is.

Asked if he would consider offering up his hair for other causes, he said there were a lot of great causes in the community and joked that he would take them one at a time.

“We’re willing to do what it takes to help people out and that’s why I love the North Country.”

Jones said coloring his hair pink was the least he could do.

“This is pretty minor, it’s miniscule compared to what our loved ones have to go through once they get a diagnosis of breast cancer.”