Thanks to an ad she saw in this paper 12 years ago, retired school teacher Camille Donato of Mitchell Lane found a warm and welcoming cancer support group at the North Shore Medical Center in Peabody. Now, after doing the six-mile NSMC Cancer Walk in Salem nine times and making thousands of colorful turbans over the past 11 years, countless women around the country now have a comfortable alternative to the often hot and itchy wigs many wear while undergoing radiation and chemotherapy.

“Business is pretty good, unfortunately,” Donato said.

Diagnosed with breast cancer herself in 1994 at the age of 43, Donato hated wearing a wig. It was an aunt who sent her a polyester turban that Donato said she loved and inspired her to create a more comfortable cotton-poly blend.

The former Boston Junior High English language arts teacher turned owner of Camille’s Turbans said she spent the past winter in Florida where she sold 350 turbans in four weeks.

Sewing and selling every day for four hours at her and other people’s homes, Donato once sold her wears at 12 locations. Now down to six, including NSMC, the Lahey Clinic and Dana Farber Cancer Center, as well as online, she gives a portion of the proceeds to various cancer treatment centers.

“It takes a lot of time but it’s worth it when I hear what a difference it makes,” she said. “I receive many notes from people telling me how much they love them. It’s very personal to me. The people are the reason I do this.”

Still very close with those she met at the NSMC group 12 years ago, Donato has also lost many friends from that circle. And because she survived against the odds, she says it’s important to talk to people and tell them that the battle with cancer can be won.

“I just became a grandmother, and I think how lucky I am to be here 12 years later to enjoy this time in my life. It seems like yesterday that I was in that terrible spot. Survivors appreciate every single pleasurable experience they have after this disease. Every time I hold the baby I think ‘how lucky am I to be here today and tell my story.’”

Donato said she now gets up at 5, walks three miles a day and goes to sleep at midnight in order to appreciate as much of life as she can. Also an avid traveler to Italy and recently to Greece, Donato said with all the people she’s met and experiences she’s had since she was diagnosed she should write a book.

“People say that I’ve touched their lives, that the turbans help them so much, but they have no idea how they’ve touched mine. I’m so lucky that I’m able to do this.”

Donato hopes to raise $1000 in the 17th Annual NSMC Cancer Walk on June 24. Her fundraising Web page can be found here.  To make a general donation or to register for the NSMC Cancer WALK, go here.

Gary Band