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A popular hairstylist who goes by the name Ouidad was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago. She says her husband, Peter Wise, helped her through the process.

"I felt like I had a strong partner and strong team like we were going through this together," says Ouidad. "He was with me at every visit."

Ouidad is known as the go-to stylist for curly hair. For years, she and Wise donated money to various cancer organizations in her name and that of her mother, who died from the disease.

The couple decided they wanted to leverage their hair business, which includes two salons, to make more of an impact. So Wise came up with a program called Curls For A Cure.

"I felt, 'What can I do? She is experiencing it, but what can I do?' So I wanted to create Curls For A Cure, so that I can help fund the research to find a cure, before my daughter gets into her 40s, so that history doesn't repeat itself for her," says Wise.

Curls For A Cure matches every donation, dollar for dollar. Clients can donate at the salon in New York City and anyone can donate online. The donations and their company's matches go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

"We at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation believe that the only thing that stands between cancer and a cure is money, and we are determined to raise it with partners like Ouidad to make a difference," says President Myra Biblowit of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

"That's our goal every year is to fund a different another researcher, put the money in the hands of another researcher, and that's why we are trying to raise over a million dollars," says Wise.

Curls for a Cure has raised almost $300,000 since it started four years ago.

"Curls For A Cure is about having Ouidad available to share her experience and to frankly show and example for people who are dealing with the disease," says client Maria Brisbane.

"To be a breast cancer survivor and to help all my clients here in my salon that has been the biggest gift to me," says Ouidad.

So, for helping to turn curls into a hope for a cure, Ouidad and Peter Wise are the latest New Yorkers of the Week.

For more information on Curls For A Cure, call 1-800-677-4247 or visit www.ouidad.com.

If you'd like to nominate someone to be NY1's New Yorker of the Week, send an email describing their qualifications to: nyer@ny1.com or mail a letter to:

NY1 News
New Yorker of the Week
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New York, NY 10011