How does Tamara Hyson define strength?
When you’ve been in the industry for so long, you do get weary, raising a family and running two businesses. So strength to me means perseverance.
When we contacted Tamara Hyson to tell her she’d been nominated as a Woman of Strength, she tried to give her nomination to someone else. Giving is what she’s all about.
A trained stylist who’s “been behind the chair for 28 years,” Hyson is a Lancaster native who owns two salons—Ego Trip Hair Salon, Lancaster; and Pure Passion Hair Lounge, Columbia.
She also describes herself as “a Christian business owner.” “We play all Christian music—I like bringing people to church, without bringing them to church,” says Hyson, who turns 47 this month. “We even pray in the salon. It feels more like a ministry than a salon.”
Her faith deepened, during an experience she had 12 years ago.
“This may sound surreal, but I was 35, and I had uterine cancer,” says Hyson. Then, she found out she had a rare cancer gene, and an ultrasound revealed several tumors on her liver. Thoughts of her family—her Lancaster City police officer husband and four children (two sets of twins) filled her mind. One day, she was overwhelmed by it all while driving to work, so she pulled off the road, called her best friend, and asked her to pray for her.
“That Sunday I went to church—and there was a healing service of all things. That’s when I gave my life to the lord,” Hyson says. Although regular screenings often detect pre-cancerous polyps, she is otherwise cancer-free. She’s currently battling advanced glaucoma but despite her health issues, she has a positive outlook.
“What’s so great is—the human body and mind adjust, because for eight years now, I’ve been working with pinpoint vision,” she says.
“I send scripture and encouragement on group chat to all my employees. I just try to be a light to the people around me,” says Hyson. She regularly offers salon pampering days via area churches, and she’s passionate about collaborating with fellow small business owners.
Every fall, Hyson shines a light on her sister’s memory, by hosting cut-a-thons to benefit breast cancer research. This year, she’ll also be honoring her cousin Angela, who works part-time at Ego Trip and is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment.
“My sister was 37 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she was the epitome of strength—she was in the military, and she went through chemo,” Hyson says. “I promised her I would always hold cut-a-thons in honor of her—she was my best friend.”
