What does friendship look like? Well, it's shorn and beautiful for two students at the Medical College of Georgia's School of Nursing in Athens.

The hairless look started when Taylor Brown, 22, a senior nursing student, was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in January.

"I had an enlarged lymph node and, being a good nursing student, had done my research. I was so relieved to get confirmation that the results were Hodgkins lymphoma, because that's a good kind of cancer to have; it's treatable," Brown said.

Still, she wasn't looking forward to losing her long, blond hair during six months of chemotherapy. She took control by dyeing it brown and getting a buzz cut, so it wouldn't be so traumatic when her hair fell out.

Word spread quickly among the school's 60 senior nursing students.

"I'm a very talkative person most of the time, but when I heard about Taylor's diagnosis, I couldn't say anything," said Carol Marsden, a senior nursing student. "My husband and I had just lost a dear friend to cancer, and I thought I couldn't go through that again."

It wasn't long before Marsden made Brown an unusual offer of support. "She said that, if we could raise $1,000 for the Athens Relay for Life [which raises money for the American Cancer Society], she'd hold a drawing and someone could shave her head," Brown said.

Brown couldn't believe her friend was serious. She also doubted that the 60 nursing students could raise $1,000.

"Originally, we wanted Taylor to be able to afford a good wig, but then the fund-raising ideas grew," Marsden said.

They also held a silent auction for the privilege of giving Marsden a really bad haircut before she got a buzz cut.

"I thought it would take awhile to raise the money, but we put out the challenge one Thursday, and, by the next Thursday, we had almost $900. After an exam on the following Tuesday, we all counted again, and we had over $1,000. I knew then I'd be bald for spring break," Marsden said.

Everyone gathered in the student lounge to see Marsden get a mullet haircut; Brown did the honors with the clippers.

"I think everyone turned out, and we had a lot of fun," Brown said.

Overall, they raised $1,160, and 10 to 15 students are planning to walk in the Athens Relay for Life, April 27-28, as the Nursing Ninjas.

"It was so neat that Carol did this for me. It took away the fear of being the only girl in class with a shaved head," Brown said. "It put a positive spin on being bald, so that I didn't feel so alone. I'll never forget it."

Marsden said her gesture was only a small piece of the story. She gives credit to her fellow nursing students, who raised the money and continue to support Brown with cards and other acts of friendship.

"The world is going to be a better place because of this nursing class, and I'm proud to be a part of them," Marsden said.

Having her hair buzzed has given Marsden a chance to talk with others about cancer and has made her realize how vulnerable a woman feels without her hair. She's still not used to it.

"I used to look in the mirror and see my mom. Now I see my dad," Marsden joked. "But the important thing is that Taylor is doing so well."

Marsden plans to become a public health nurse after graduating in May.

Brown plans to walk with her graduating class but may have to finish her clinical rotations this summer. Being sick has made it difficult to work in the hospital.

"When you're training to be a nurse, it's humbling to have to be a patient," Brown said. "I've always been interested in oncology, and now I'm almost sure that's my specialty. I'll be able to look at patients and say, 'I've done this, and you'll get through it.' That's a blessing."