Wendy Tarlow, Cancer Warrior

Years ago I wrote about the real life stories of local people for a newpaper. The idea was that we pass our neighbors each day, often unaware of their struggles and passions, their accomplishments. It is fun to share their stories. I recently met an interesting person who agreed to share her story. Her name is Wendy Tarlow. She lives in our community with her partner, their son and numerous pets. Wendy is a cancer warrior, both brave and compassionate. In the course of battling cancer, she turned her creative energy and empathy to children fighting cancer.  

Wendy’s career has always been dynamic. “I was a driven general manager for Equinox Fitness Clubs when I was in my 20s, then a senior producer at Carlson and Partners whose clients were Ralph Lauren and Neutrogena.” Carlson and Partners was founded by Wendy’s stepmother, Sandy Carlson. Wendy left the firm after Sandy died suddenly of lung cancer finding it too unbearable to stay after the loss her stepmother of 35 years, “eventually opening my own little set of franchises that were Fitness Studios in Fort Lauderdale. I couldn't sit still very long until I got cancer.”

The cancer treatments were challenging. “Being sick, especially after a pretty radical targeted chemo called Bexxar, I was hospitalized five times in 2010 with the typical cancer immunity things like transfusions, including isolation because of neutropenia (a side effect of chemotherapy).” Forced to slow down by the treatments, “my mind was still running wild. I had also done marketing and search engine optimization, so Facebook was this perfect little world for me.” From her home in Sag Harbor, Wendy began to link to communities of cancer patients across the country and the world.

It was on Facebook that Wendy met a cancer activist and patient Jane Bingham. “I actually became friends with Jane because she had invited me into a private Facebook group called Cancer Chicks that got me through some very rough spots. There is nothing like talking with other women who are fighting cancer as well. I consider myself a cancer fighter not a survivor. The day I never have to think about this again is the day I will feel like a survivor.”

Through Jane, Wendy learned about the possibility to help children whose cancer treatments caused hair loss. The hair loss impacted their self esteem and the intent was to allow them to be more accepting of themselves by providing them with a bald role model, the Barbie Doll. Mattel had created a one-of-a-kind “Princess Genesis” doll which was used to help one little girl named Genesis. She was given the doll to help her understand that even girls with no hair can be a princess. Jane Bingham and another cancer activist named Beckie Sypin created a Facebook page for the Bald Barbie, hoping that the page would generate support for the idea and convince Mattel to make Bald Barbie part of their standard product line.

Wendy saw the Facebook page and got involved soon thereafter; her objective, to drive the page “likes” to a compelling 150,000! Wendy used her marketing skills and limitless energy to break out of the page’s doldrums. That is about where they are today. Wendy shared an update, “Mattel recently had Beckie and Jane out to the corporate headquarters for a very hush hush but positive meeting. We are waiting for the next step. I believe this will happen. In what capacity, I just don't know yet but it sure looks like it is heading down the right road."

Wendy was heartened to learn that another company decided to enter the arena, probably due to the social media activity. MGA Entertainment announced “its commitment and support to the fight against cancer by launching new hairless versions of their hit doll brands, Bratz and Moxie Girlz.”

Wendy notes “Hasbro is coming out with two Bald GI Joe dolls to correspond with their upcoming movie this year. We are asking them to add packaging awareness but they have yet to really hear from us. Our main focus is still Barbie because of the worldwide distribution capability and the fact that they have done this sort of thing in the past. They already have a children's hospital and do donate a ton of money to children's disease research.”

Wendy will keep working until this mission is complete, “It is more than a doll, it is a spirit of hope and solidarity.”

She is also gearing her team up for Swim Across America. Her web page is up and running for this year’s Hamptons Open Water Swim: teamtarlowsaa.com/about