9-year-old Ellie loves gymnastics, drawing, painting, and riding her bike. She enjoys playing Uno and making new friends. Most of all, she treasures spending time with her two younger brothers, Emerson and Everett, who always know how to make her smile.
But in 2024, Ellie’s world changed dramatically.
What began as a routine appointment quickly became every parent’s nightmare. After further testing, Ellie’s family heard the words no family ever wants to hear: “Your child has cancer.” At just seven years old, Ellie was diagnosed with CNS Neuroblastoma, a very rare brain tumor.
Over the months that followed, Ellie faced challenges far beyond her years. She underwent a 15-hour surgery that removed most of the tumor, followed by six weeks of brain and spine radiation and six months of chemotherapy. Throughout treatment, there were difficult days, but Ellie remained determined. Her family shared that she was often seen walking the hospital halls with a smile, looking for friends to talk and play with.
Like many children undergoing cancer treatment, Ellie experienced hair loss. At first, losing her hair felt overwhelming.
“I was nervous at first,” Ellie shared, “but I embraced it and my friends did too.”
That support from friends and family helped Ellie find confidence along her journey, but she also looked forward to something very specific when treatment was over.
She wanted her braids back.
For many children, hair loss is a visible reminder that life is different from their peers. It can impact confidence, self-image, and the simple desire to fit in at school and among friends.
That is where Wigs For Kids became part of Ellie’s story.
Ellie’s family applied to our Recipient Program, where children facing medical hair loss can receive a hand-tied hairpiece made just for them, and always at no cost to the family. These hairpieces are designed to be durable enough to withstand the vigorous activities of a child, while also being comfortable enough for everyday use. These hairpieces, hand-tied strand by strand, are created from the generosity of our hair and financial donors.
Wigs For Kids pairs each family with a local volunteer stylist, who assists the family with measurements prior to hairpiece creation, and with styling services once the made-to-order hairpiece is ready.
Ellie’s stylist, Donna Beeba of Donna’s Suite shared, “She was ecstatic about receiving her new hair. As I provided her with instructions, her eagerness was evident. We put on her new hair and styled it, and Ellie was beaming with excitement. She couldn’t wait to show off her new look to the world.”
In May of 2025, Ellie proudly rang the bell marking the end of her cancer treatments. Today, she continues working hard through therapies that help rebuild her strength and memory following treatment. Most importantly, she continues to live her life with no evidence of disease.
For Ellie, the hairpiece wasn’t just about hair. It was about reclaiming a piece of her childhood and helping her feel like herself again.
That sense of normalcy is exactly what Wigs For Kids strives to provide. Every made-to-order hair replacement system is designed to help children facing medical hair loss regain confidence and focus on being kids again, all thanks to the kindness of hair donors, volunteer stylists, and financial supporters.
Stories like Ellie’s are only possible because of a community that believes no child should face hair loss alone.
Whether you donate hair, support our program financially, or partner with us as a stylist, you become part of a child’s journey toward confidence and self‑acceptance.
At Wigs For Kids, we don’t just provide wigs.
We help children feel like themselves again.
Thanks to support from both hair and financial donors, we helped more than 1,000 kids in 2025 receive free wigs, and we’re on track to help even more children in 2026!
Start a fundraising event in your community, inspire others to grow and give, and help us reach even more kids this year!
If you are a stylist interested in helping our children, please click here for more information.
If you are interested in donating your hair, please click here for more information.
For recipient stories, please click here.
For more ways to support Wigs For Kids, please click here.
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