POULSBO — Kenneth L. Salon and Spa hairstylist Diane Baldi sacrificed one of a woman’s favorite accessories Sept. 28 to raise money for a fellow stylist in need, and just looking at her name, one could probably suppose how.

Collecting more than $1,300, Baldi did what few women — and even fewer hairstylists — would: she went bald.

Not one to normally follow the stylistic fashion of Mr. Clean, Baldi cut and shaved her hair to support a friend fighting breast cancer. She sold portions of her locks for $10, though the $100, $50 and $20 bills began to pile up as customers and community members heard about the cause.

“She’s one of my best friends,” Baldi said of Kim Bakewell, 35, a newlywed who was diagnosed with cancer in early May and later underwent a double mastectomy. “She’s had a hard life and this was one more thing that was added to it.”

Baldi said she wanted to help, but didn’t know how to do so other than showing moral support. Once she had the idea of cutting off her hair, she first went to salon manager Paige McCarty to ask if she’d still be allowed to work in the salon.

“Diane came in one day and told us her friend was diagnosed with cancer. She felt kind of helpless and wanted something to do,” McCarty said. “Here we are, 3,000 miles away and we thought, ‘Let’s do this in such a way that we can raise money for her.’”

Baldi said she hopes the money donated can help relieve Bakewell’s financial burdens and possibly reduce her workload, giving her more ease of mind and the ability to store up her strength. Bakewell is a hairstylist in New London, Conn.

“It’s only a part of what she’s going through,” Baldi said. “So if I can be supportive and be bald with her, find her some support and show her that other people are thinking about her, maybe it’ll help her through the treatments.”

She said Bakewell was surprised at what she planned to do, but will put the funds to good use.

“She thinks I’m nuts,” Baldi joked, but then added, “She is proud of me, she thinks that it’s an awesome thing that I’m doing.”

Baldi said she hopes the event not only benefits her friend, but also spread awareness in the community and reminds other women to get yearly mammograms.

“Hopefully I can prevent some other person from getting cancer,” she said.

McCarty said the event has already brought the community together, as many of the salon’s patrons shared their own stories of battling cancer. Many donated to the fund even though they couldn’t attend the actual shaving of Baldi’s head.

“I really didn’t expect that,” she said. “It has really taken me back. We had no idea that there was going to be this outpouring of generosity. It’s so heartwarming.”

Kenneth L. Salon and Spa also gave away more than $600 of products donated from the various brands they carry. Its “Denim Fund,” which stylists can contribute $5 to in exchange for wearing jeans on Fridays, will also assist Bakewell.

Baldi’s friend Alison Ware, of Norwich, Conn., traveled to Poulsbo to support her during the event. She said Bakewell’s salon co-workers weren’t doing much for her cause.

“Not many people would do this for a friend,” she said quietly while watching Baldi admire her newly-shorn features.

“It’s pretty amazing. Who would do that?” she asked. “She’s just an amazing person, the best person I’ve ever known.”

Once the haircut was complete, Baldi couldn’t keep the smile off her face, and said the feeling was a freeing one.

“It’s exhilarating,” she said, beaming. “I feel good. I might even keep it this way.”