Introducing The Wigs for Comfort and Confidence Program
At The For Nina Foundation, we are driven by a mission to provide comfort, support, and confidence to children battling cancer. Our newest initiative, the Wigs for Comfort and Confidence program, aims to deliver high-quality wigs to young patients, helping them regain a sense of normalcy and boost their self-esteem during a challenging time.
The Inspiration
The inspiration for the Friends of Nina Wig Program comes from Nina’s own experience. Diagnosed with leukemia in April 2017, Nina was determined to maintain her normal life despite the challenges. Just one year after delivering a proud and funny Valedictorian speech at her high school graduation, Nina found herself 40 lbs lighter, unable to stand or walk on her own, and wearing a wig as a result of chemotherapy.
Searching For Comfort and Confidence
As Nina’s hair began to fall out, we faced the heart-wrenching reality of finding a suitable wig. The first temporary wig we found didn’t make Nina feel like herself. It was uncomfortable and didn’t look natural. The custom wig made from her own hair took two months to arrive and was equally disappointing. It required a baseball cap to look even remotely normal and was uncomfortable to wear. Despite numerous attempts and visits to different wigmakers, Nina never found a wig that restored her confidence or comfort.
Witnessing Nina’s struggle with ill-fitting, uncomfortable wigs was one of the many heartaches of her illness. It was clear that something had to be done to help other young cancer patients avoid this distress. This led to the creation of the Friends of Nina Wig Program. Our goal is to ensure that no child or teenager battling cancer has to endure the same challenges Nina faced.
The Search Is Over: Wigs for Comfort and Confidence
We are excited to launch a program that takes the burden completely off parents and caretakers when their child loses their hair. Originally, we dreamed for our wig program to include a representative who would guide each patient and their family through the process, from diagnosis to wig selection, delivery, and care. This meant that before the patient received their first chemo infusion, they would have had their measurements taken and selected a wig style and color. Their wig would be ready as soon as they needed it.
Our program is unique in that it removes the application process and guarantees that every child who needs a wig will receive one. Parents will only need to support and love their child throughout the process, without the additional stress of navigating wig selection and care.
Our First Successful Fundraising Event
Over the course of a year, we formulated ideas and, with the help of our board of directors, held our first fundraising event on December 1, 2023. We raised $25,000 at that event, providing the means to offer wigs to at least 16 patients in 2024.
The Wigmaster and Wig Wagon
Finding the right wigmaker was challenging until we connected with Katia Baker, owner of House of Postiche, based in Orlando. Her positive energy and dedication to helping young cancer patients matched our passion for the program. Katia’s “House of Postiche Wig Wagon” brought the opportunity for a program that is beyond our dreams. Katia’s Wig Wagon allows her to create wigs on-site, providing immediate patient results.
Katia’s involvement has exceeded our expectations. Her ability to meet patients where they are and make their wig within just a a few hours has transformed our vision into reality. Nina loved helping the kids and teens at Shands Children’s Hospital through Dance Marathon at UF, and we are honored to not just continue her legacy, but grow it in such a special way through this program.
In fact, we have already outfitted our first patient, Phoebe, with a wig.
Join Us In Reaching Our Goals
Our goal is to provide wigs that are natural-looking, comfortable, and confidence-boosting. We aim to outfit fifty young people with wigs by January 2025, at an average cost of $1500 per wig. To achieve this, we need a minimum of $40,000 more to fund the program this year.
Our dream is to expand this program to as many pediatric and teen cancer patients as possible. We have a long way to go, and our journey begins now, with your support. Please help us continue Nina’s mission by making a one-time donation or committing to an annual contribution to The For Nina Foundation.
Thank you for helping us better the lives of young people with cancer. Together, we can make a difference and honor Nina’s memory in the most impactful way possible. Join us in launching Friends of Nina: Wigs for Comfort and Confidence, and help us provide these children with the highest quality wigs, ensuring they feel supported and confident throughout their journey.
What Makes This Program Unique?
Friends of Nina, Wigs for Comfort and Confidence program is unique because it takes the burden completely off parents and caretakers when their child loses their hair. There is no other program like this out there today. We know because we tried to find it for Nina. Now, through our new partnership, we can help kids and teens not only at Shands UF Children’s Hospital but at all major hospitals in Florida and beyond.
Here’s what makes Wigs for Comfort and Confidence better:
Join Us in Making a Difference
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Donate
Donate NowEvery contribution helps us reach our goal of providing comfort and confidence to more children like Phoebe.
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Volunteer
Learn MoreJoin our team and help make a tangible difference in the lives of children battling cancer.
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Share Our Program
Spread the word about our program on social media and within your community. The more people who know about Wigs for Comfort and Confidence, the more support we can gather.
A Heartwarming Milestone: Our First Wig for Comfort and Confidence
Today, we are thrilled to share a milestone that highlights the essence of our mission: outfitting our first child cancer patient with a wig.
Phoebe's journey with us began in late February when we met her in the hospital, just before she lost her hair. As she began to lose her hair and eventually shaved it, we saw a spark in her that reminded us of Nina. We knew Nina would want us to support Phoebe in every way possible.
Learn More
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Our First Wig for Phoebe
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Meet Us
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Our History
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Our Mission
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