Let us introduce you to Kiki. At age 11, with childhood cancer, Kiki was turned
away by a number of places for a wig. When she was introduced to Friends Are By Your Side, Kiki was immediately brought into the salon, and received a stylish and
comfortable wig. Martino Cartier, founder of FABYS, also vowed to grant a wish
for her. In December of 2012, Martino picked
up Kiki in a hot pink stretch limo, where she sat front row
for a Justin Bieber concert and even had her wish granted by meeting the singer!
Just one week later, Kiki lost her battle with kidney
cancer. Before she passed, she explained
to Martino that she had one more wish. That
wish was to collect toys for the other children at Nemour’s du Pont Hospital. Although
Kiki was gone too soon to see her last wish come true, her spirit was felt as FABYS
collected over 4,000 toys for the hospital.
Box after box was unloaded off of an 18 wheeler truck for the children,
each one signed “Love, Kiki” in the young girl's memory.
While Kiki’s story is inspirational, it’s not uncommon. Insurance
companies can take months to reimburse the upfront cost of expensive wigs (which
can run anywhere from $400 – $4,000) and many non-profits require a great deal of
financial documentation. Kiki’s mom,
Terri, had been turned down by other foundations because they said she made too
much money. However, with the growing
hospital bills, and Terri having left work to care for Kiki, it just hadn't been possible for her to afford a wig.
Since Kiki, Friends are By Your Side has given hundreds of wigs and granted dozens of wishes. Please visit www.FABYS.com
for more information, or to donate.
