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The Tampa Chapter of QFAD was
started in May of 2004. I attended the
Southeast Panhellenic Conference earlier that year where I learned about
the QFAD program. The organization and what it stood for touched me in a
special way. I knew as soon as I saw the video that I had to become
involved
.
The Tampa chapter of QFAD had its first party in July of 2004. Since then we have been non-stop. I love doing the parties and wish I
could do them more often. At the
parties we have 5 tables set up.
There is a table for make-up, nails, crafts, food and lastly a table
for our heroes. This set up works
perfectly for me. The children
rotate around the room and have a ball.
Something that is very special about our parties is the hospital
staff gets really involved. They do
make-up, take pictures, and make crafts.
I think they enjoy having us as much as the children do. Our parties usually consist of 10
queens, 6 heroes and last about 2 hours.
It is also important to me to involve the parents in the fun. They love seeing the smiles on their
children’s faces, and sometimes can use some pampering themselves. Each
party we have held has been featured on the local news. The Tampa Bay community has been very
responsive to QFAD and what it brings to the children in the hospital.
These past four years with Queen for a Day have been life changing
for me. In January of 2005 I was
chosen as an Everyday Hero for Bay News 9.
I am very proud to be viewed as a hero in our community; it is my
way of representing the QFAD children, who are my heroes. On July 29th, 2005 I had the
opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
baseball game, representing QFAD. I
am honored to be the Tampa Director of QFAD. The way that the children make me feel is indescribable.
Since starting this chapter I have grown and learned so much from QFAD and
the amazing people that I have been fortunate to work with. In the future I hope to grow the Tampa
Chapter to more hospitals and also more events in the Tampa Bay Area.
I am a graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s
Degree, 2006 in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Reading
Education, 2007. GO BULLS! I am
currently a third grade teacher at Hunter’s Green Elementary in Tampa
FL. My favorite part about my job
is that no two days are ever the same.
I am grateful for everyone who has supported me in starting this
chapter. Queen for a Day is a
program that truly touches many lives.
I look forward to a long journey with the Tampa chapter.
Live, Love, Laugh
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Corporate
Queen for a Day exists to raise the self-esteem and
self-confidence of girls with cancer. We execute this mission by hosting
parties at cancer facilities and giving the girls manicures and makeovers.
The unique characteristic of QFAD is that every girl receives her own
tiara! These tiaras have been donated by title holders throughout the
nation. Each girl is dressed in a pink fur-trimmed robe and given a bouquet
of roses for a special Polaroid picture that she can take home with. We do
not discriminate on the basis of age and have crowned girls from 17 months
of age to 21 years old.
Most people assume that putting makeup on these girls and proclaiming their
beauty encourages self-evaluation through outer beauty. However, by taking
this direct approach to their self-esteem issues, we teach them to overcome
physical insecurities rather than distracting them from their situation.
Research has proven that positive attention, as given through QFAD parties,
can improve the physical condition of those with illnesses - including
cancer. Even family members who attend benefit from the party. Mothers see
their daughters as little girls, not children sick with cancer. We also
include siblings of the cancer patients in the makeovers and manicures.
Many times, siblings can be overlooked while the family tends to the needs
of the cancer patient.
The most rewarding aspect of QFAD is witnessing the smiles and laughter
that, otherwise, rarely escape from girls dealing with a traumatic illness.
I will never forget Jalisa, one of our first "queens," who
indulged in red cherry lipstick, then kissed everyone on the cheek leaving
bright pink lip marks. When she died a few months later, the picture I
signed was still hanging on her wall. Rhanda, our first queen, has survived
her cancer and continues to enjoy life. Other fond memories include Amanda,
a 19-year-old in Miami. At the party, we gave the girls pink feather boas,
pearl necklaces, and long white gloves. Amanda wore a shirt that read,
"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful," and wrapped a boa around
her face and head. She then proceeded to dance around the room,
entertaining the younger participants.
Many girls lose friends because of their situation. Most people whose
friends become sick do not know how to handle the situation. Therefore, not
only do girls who are ill suffer from low self-esteem because of their
looks, but they also are affected from losing their social life. QFAD
strives to provide a time where they can forget about treatment, needles,
and loneliness.
While we cannot guarantee a cure for depression, we are there to shower
them in positive attention and to create happy memories to sustain them
through these hard times. One purpose of giving them the tiara is to
provide something tangible with which to remember the day. Whenever they
have hard times, they can simply put on the tiara and escape from their
troubles into a world where they rule - a world where they each are
"Queen for a Day."
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