Eileen Corey was the Health Correspondent for WKYC in Cleveland, OH back in the 1980s. She was a figure of the community, beloved for her informative, straightforward reports on health matters and well-known for her fiery red locks.

Decades later, Eileen is still tending to her gorgeous red hair, which means she goes to the salon monthly to keep her hair healthy and her color vibrant. For the last 15 years, Eileen has gone to stylist Kari Phillips at least once a month for an appointment.

Needless to say, the two ladies are good friends and know each other well. Well enough that when Kari noticed something strange at Eileen’s last appointment, she didn’t hesitate to speak up.

On the top of Eileen’s head, toward the back of her scalp, was a large mole that Kari didn’t notice last month.

“Because we take such little partings on our touch-ups and highlights, we can see pretty much the whole entire scalp,” Kari told Eileen’s old news station, WKYC. The stylist remembers she told Eileen, “It doesn’t look right, I don’t remember seeing it, and I need you to go to your dermatologist. Please take my advice.”

Thankfully, she did take Kari’s advice. Eileen went straight to dermatologist Pam Davis, who immediately ordered a biopsy. As it turned out, the mole was cancerous; Eileen had early-stage melanoma.

“She had not seen it a month ago, so that’s how fast this appears,” Eileen told WKYC. “I would not have found this. I wouldn’t have felt it because it wasn’t raised.”

Thanks to her stylist’s attentiveness, Eileen does not have to undergo any chemotherapy. The melanoma was only at the skin level and hadn’t infiltrated down. Since it was caught early enough, the mole was easily removed without any radiation necessary, which the former correspondent is extremely grateful for.

When she got the news that the melanoma was in an early, safer stage, she immediately called Kari and thanked for the extra time she gave her, which we’re sure touched her long-time stylist and friend.

Now, Eileen covers up her famous red locks with a hat whenever she’s outside, a wise precaution we should all take note of.

While it’s a great idea to ask your stylist to check your scalp for any abnormalities, Dr. Davis says you don’t need to wait until your next cut or color to look. According to her, the best time to check for suspicious spots is right after you shower, because it’s easier to see when your hair is wet.