Austin Campbell and his family are hard at work with several volunteer efforts, including a free Sola Salon Studio at the Ronald McDonald House near Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
A little kindness goes a long way. Austin Campbell, a Sola Salon Studios franchisee in San Diego, knows this well. After experiencing the compassion of volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House near Rady Children’s Hospital, he wanted to give back in some way.
It started when Campbell and his wife, Lisa, had their daughter, Harlow. Born with CHARGE syndrome —a genetic condition that causes a variety of issues including deafness, heart defects, and vision problems—Harlow spent her first months in the hospital. While she was in the neonatal intensive care unit, the Campbell family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House across the street.
Impressed with the comfort and professionalism of the volunteers at the house, a few years later Campbell was able to get involved himself.
When staying at the Ronald McDonald House, families of patients at Rady Children’s Hospital can have their hair cut and shampooed for free.
Seeing an unused salon space at the Ronald McDonald House, Campbell knew exactly how he could help. He and his wife adapted the space into a small salon where they could offer free shampooing, haircuts and even manicures to families staying at the house. Over the past five years, Campbell’s network of 700 stylists—he owns 18 Sola locations—have been volunteering their time. Sola is a salon suites franchise renting space to stylists and other beauty professionals.
“There’s really a need for this kind of business because when you’re living there, you honestly don’t even think about taking a shower, let alone getting a haircut,” said Campbell. “To be able to provide that free of charge in their temporary home is something really, really impactful on people.”
“It’s a very rewarding experience,” said stylist and volunteer Carolina Ellis. “I love what I do, and I would do it free of charge all the time if I could.”
A stylist for 10 years, Ellis began volunteering her time at the free salon soon after its opening. She’s worked with parents and other family members as well as the patients themselves. Through it all, she’s admired the strength of those she’s serviced.
Carolina Ellis, a stylist for Sola Salon Studios, stated that bringing a little peace to families at the Ronald McDonald House is the main goal of volunteering.
She recalled a recent encounter where a mother pulled her aside and asked for help cutting her son’s hair. Ellis said he was “a beautiful child with golden curls” who because of his medical condition was unconscious during the haircut.
“It’s a little emotional, as a mother,” she said. “I had to pick him up, he didn’t move or respond. … My eyes were just running tears as I was cutting his hair. It’s hard not to put your emotions into it, it just hits home.”
It’s not just hair
Campbell is involved in other efforts to support Rady Children’s Hospital, including the creation of a CHARGE syndrome center that serves as a network of specialists collaborating on CHARGE cases in order to facilitate the best treatment plans possible.
“The idea is to hire personnel to create concierge-style coordination, kind of like Mayo Clinic-type care for kids but with CHARGE Syndrome,” said Campbell. “And by Mayo Clinic, I mean very collaborative, where each kid has a case set up.”
As CHARGE syndrome can cause a wide range of conditions, it’s not uncommon for patients to have many specialists. In Harlow’s case, she has 12, said Campbell. With the collaboration of those specialists and the focus on the syndrome, the hope is to provide better treatment.
In support of the project, Campbell is partnering with a few other families to host the CHARGE Into the Future Gala on April 22. The event, with a futuristic theme, will include an auction, speeches, live musi, and more. Doctors will also take part, and even some of the stylists from Campbell’s Sola studios are involved, creating funky, futuristic hairstyles.
“This would irrevocably provide parents the platform to give their kids the best opportunity to succeed to the best of their potential,” said Campbell. “That’s what we’re working on bringing.”
Campbell has also been in touch with other franchisees across Sola’s 645 locations, encouraging them to engage in similar community action.