Our Story
The story that lead to where we are today started seven years ago. I was so lucky to have been given the opportunity to volunteer for the annual prom that Dell Children’s Blood and Cancer Center do every year for their teen patients. This prom creates the special memory that may have been taken away by cancer or blood disorders. Teens fighting cancer have extremely weak immune systems which prevents them from most of life’s events. On this day, the teens get pampered and I was always amazed at how much they would light up and glow after getting their hair and makeup done and getting to put on that beautiful dress. It changed their confidence immediately. After a few years of organizing fashion shows and leading photo shoots, I had vision that would not leave my heart.
I could bring my passions of giving back and fashion together to create another opportunity for these teens to feel as beautiful and confident as they should.
Check out this video to learn about our beginnings!
The Dell Children’s CBCC Fashion Show was founded in 2015. To our surprise, it was such a hit with the teens, families and clinic staff that it has lead to us just completing our third show in February 2017 with hundreds of people in attendance and so many generous Austin business contributing to make it magical. The teens are the models with the best treatment of fashion from local boutiques and designers, top makeup and hair from local beauty teams and swag bag full of amazing items donated just for them. We were so honored to have Tiffany & Co. donate jewelry pieces for each teen.
I saw what a huge difference helping make these teens feel good does for their hearts.
When we put ourselves “together” in hair, makeup and a great outfit, we seem to feel really good and stand a little taller in that confidence. I truly believe that when we feel we look good, it has amazing power. Now take this idea to children fighting cancer, who already feel the pressure of being what they think they should look like or be like, and it can be so difficult. Now take this idea to mothers fighting right along their babies and have no energy or time to think about themselves. We give them a moment where we provide them the chance to feel this moment of amazingness and it reminds them that not only do we care but they truly are beautiful and so worthy of feeling good.
From this event I decided that we can do more. We can do more as a community. We can because there are so many generous, kind, big hearted people and businesses that want to give back. With a lot of hope and faith, I created Beautifully Loved. We are supported through The Austin Community Foundation in our efforts to bring so much love to families who are fighting pediatric cancer and childhood illnesses.
Our goal is to not only create experiences for patients, mothers, fathers, siblings through wellness, beauty and fashion but create confidence, self love and supported dreams.
We will host monthly events for a chosen group and raise funds through various fundraisers to help support these hopes. Together we can make a difference, big or small. We can be a voice of love. We will stand next to those fighting the fight. We can change lives.
