“It’s hard to put into words the joy I’m feeling with the success of the second annual Sparks of Light Day,” Vicky Weis shares with me. Weis (whose maiden name just happens to be Sparks) is founder of the annual one-day event in which participating spa professionals across the country offer their healing gifts gratis to those battling cancer.
This year, 54 spas nationwide, plus one in Haiti, offered free spa treatments to their cancer communities on November 7th. By Weis’s estimate, 500 cancer patients, and/or their caregivers, received loving touch that day.
Weis started Sparks of Light in honor of her mother Faye, who underwent a 13-month journey with cancer. “When my mom, Faye, was on her cancer journey, I prayed everyday that if it had to be her time to go, that she would leave here as a queen—not as a wounded princess from the cancer. I vowed that something good would come of her experience. My heart is overflowing knowing that her suffering has, and will continue, to bring peace and love to so many.”
“When my mom, Faye, was on her cancer journey, I prayed everyday that if it had to be her time to go, that she would leave here as a queen—not as a wounded princess from the cancer . . .”
The Third Annual Sparks of Light Day is planned for November 6, 2017. In the meantime, here’s a shout-out to the spas and individuals who stepped up to the plate this year. A special thank you goes to Jindilli for offering free product kits to all participating spas, and to the American Spa Association and Universal Companies for helping to spread the word.
Participating Spas in the 2nd Annual Sparks of Light Day
•A Nurses Touch Too Massage & Skincare, Tullahoma, Tennessee
•Advanced Skin Care, Spa & Wellness, Springfield, Vermont
•Airbrush Images Studio, Youngstown, Ohio
•Alison Andrews Day Spa, Orland Park, Illinois
•American Leisure: Island Spa Catalina, Avalon, California
•Aqua Blu Day Spa, Indiana
•At Anchor Day Spa, Northfield, New Jersey
•Body and Beyond Therapeutic Massage & Day Spa, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
•Carol Stasiewicz, Nevada
•Carol Willey, Bullhead City, Arizona
•Custom Complexion, Ashland, Virginia
•DuBunne Spa Club & Massage Centre, Torrance, California
•Energy Hands Therapy, Indiana, Pennsylvania
•Everything’s Relative, Oak Lawn, Illinois
•Fabu Face Spa, E Decatur, Georgia
•Ghessica Meleance, Haiti
•Glamarich Studio Day Spa, Fayetteville, Georgia
•Glenda Slatkin, Las Vegas, Nevada
•Glow Skin, Ohio
•Hashani Spa, J.W. Marriott, Tucson, Arizona
•Heaven Massage & Wellness, Florida
•Holly’s Facial & Body Sculpting, Hudson, Florida
•Journey Massage and Spa Services, Pittsford, New York
•Karma Day Spa, Tucson, Arizona
•Megan Gillis, Winter Haven, Florida
•Merhaquel Skin Care, Carson, California
•Mindful Massage Milwaukie, Milwaukie, Oregon
•Mosaic Salon Place, Las Vegas, Nevada
•Navii Salon and Spa, Schererville, Indiana
•Ona Ultimate Skincare, Nashville, Tennessee
•Red Bamboo Medi Spa, Clearwater, Florida
•Rejuline Skin & Body, Phoenix, Arizona
•Sego Lily Spa, 3 locations, Utah
•Serendipity Massage & Wellness, Texas
•Serenity Skin Care/Lush Nail Lounge,
•Seva Beauty San Diego, San Diego, California
•Simply Massage, Belmar, New Jersey
•Skinapeel by Pamela Hills, Arizona
•Skin Trust, Palos Heights, Illinois
•Spa at One Ocean Resort, Atlantic Beach, Florida
•Spa Upstairs, San Antonio, Texas
•Susan Perry Skin Care, Plymouth, Massachusetts
•The Skinn Haven at Ella’s, Clover, South Carolina
•The Spa Experience, Loganville, Georgia
•The Tides Inn Golf, Spa and Marina, Irvington, Virginia
•Toolbox Studio Salon, Cincinnati, Ohio
•Triple 8 Spa & Wellness, Orlando, Florida
•Vital Touch Spa LLC, Jeffersonville, Indiana
•Whole Body and Skincare, Tampa, Florida
•Women’s Athletic Club, Chicago, Illinois
•Wrap Me Day Spa, Lexington, Kentucky
•Yotaki, Bisbee, Arizona
Here’s some more background on Vicky Weis and Sparks of Light.
Megan Ganim
An avid alpine skier and cross-country runner, Megan Ganim studies journalism at the University of Oregon, where she works at The Daily Emerald, the student-run newspaper. Prior to that, she was the co-editor in chief of The Rogue News, the Ashland High School newspaper, in Ashland, Oregon.