Mane Attraction
Bonny Diver’s Hair Peace Charities hosts its Recipe for Hope fundraiser.

Bonnie Diver, photographed at her home. 

By Katie Mavrich  |  Photography by Megan Wylie


When radio personality and DJ Bonny Diver was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, it changed the lives of many area women who are fighting the same battle. At the time, Diver had her own show on 96.9 WRRK-FM (pre-BOB), and talked about her experience on-air — about finding a lump during a self-exam, how the mammogram missed it, and about the importance of knowing your body. “I talked at cancer fundraising events, and my surgeon said that what I needed to do was to raise money for wigs, because most insurance companies don’t pay for them when women lose their hair from chemotherapy,” says Diver, currently a traffic reporter for CBS Radio.

And will patients lose their hair from chemo? “It’s an absolute; when you have chemotherapy for breast cancer, your hair will fall out on the 15th day — you can mark it on the calendar,” Diver says.

With that in mind, Hair Peace Charities was formed. Women with cancer who live in the 724 and 412 area codes and have a financial hardship only need to call Hair Peace Charities, which will provide $150 toward the purchase of a wig — hairpieces typically run from $250-$300. “For women, it’s really important to have a sense of normalcy, at least on the outside. When they go out, to the grocery store, to the gas station, to a board meeting, it’s so important to at least not have the distraction of being bald,” Diver says. “This is an opportunity for people to help somebody who has a bump in the road.”

This month’s Recipe for Hope is the fifth annual fundraiser for Hair Peace Charities, and Diver hopes to raise $10,000. It’s a delicious, low-key get together for patients and non-patients alike, where local celebrities don aprons and whip up their favorite dishes — sometimes with the help of a patient “assistant” — for guests to sample, along with wines, auctions, and live entertainment.

And the “chefs” go all-out. Diver recounts WTAE-TV’s Scott Stiller’s chocolate hazelnut raviolis, The Capitol Grille’s Chef D and his kona-crusted sirloin with shallot butter and garlic, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre executive director Harris Ferris, who comes with his George Foreman Grill in tow to make his recipe on-site.

“It gets a little competitive,” Diver laughs. “KDKA-TV’s Jim Lokay and Scott Stiller are at each other, but it’s like chocolate chip cheesecake against seafood lasagna!”

Lokay is a faithful chef at the event. “I love Bonny’s passion for what she does,” he says. “It’s a labor of love for her, so for me to spend a day in the kitchen is well worth the mess! Plus, I appreciate the fact that it’s not a huge operation, so we get a chance to see the people who benefit from Hair Peace front and center.”

And just when we were starting to see those holiday cookies melt off — but a tasty evening for a great cause is worth an extra trip to the gym!

The Fifth Annual Recipe for Hope takes place February 27 at Blueberry Hill Park in Wexford. For tickets or more information, contact Hair Peace Charities at 412.327.5177.