Community Corner
Hope Has No Hair: One Little Girl's Legacy Helps Children See Beauty Beyond Their Differences
This book is for any child who is going through something difficult or who feels different from the other children around them.
During Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, former Miss Rhode Island and Glimmer of Hope Foundation founder Alison Hornung shares the story behind a children's book inspired by Ella Catherine Integlia—and its message for children going through difficult times or feeling different from those around them.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Ella Catherine Integlia's experience with leukemia inspired Alison Hornung to create Glimmer of Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children and families navigating pediatric cancer. It also became the inspiration for Hope Has No Hair, Hornung's children's book about hair loss, differences, confidence and hope.
Hornung, a former Miss Rhode Island, shared a close bond with Ella, with the two referring to one another as "Little Sis" and "Big Sis." During treatment, Ella received a bald American Girl doll she named Hope. At a time when the experience of losing her hair made her look and feel different, the doll offered something meaningful: a reflection of herself.
After Ella passed away at age 14, her life and spirit became the inspiration for Glimmer of Hope Foundation. Providing bald dolls to children undergoing cancer treatment became one of the foundation's signature initiatives.
That same experience ultimately inspired Hope Has No Hair.
Written by Hornung and illustrated by Kelly Mengarelli, Hope Has No Hair tells the story of Hope, a young girl with cancer preparing to shave her head. As Hope works through the emotions surrounding her hair loss, she turns to her family for reassurance and begins to understand that what makes her special and beautiful has little to do with her hair.
Although the story grew from Ella's pediatric cancer journey, Hornung believes its message is important for any child going through a difficult experience or struggling with feeling different from other children.
"This book is for any child who is going through something difficult or who feels different from the other children around them," said Hornung. "We all want to feel like we belong. I want children to understand that the things that make them different don't diminish who they are. There is beauty, strength and hope in being exactly who you are."
For Hornung, the book is deeply personal. The character Hope is named for Ella's doll, and the story serves as a tribute to Ella and her family, with illustrations incorporating details from Ella's own life.
The message at the heart of the book continues to play out through Glimmer of Hope Foundation's work with children.
During one of the foundation's Best Day Ever princess experiences, a young girl undergoing leukemia treatment arrived struggling with the loss of her long hair. She initially wanted to wear a wig because, in her mind, princesses had hair.
Then Hornung gave her a bald doll that looked like her.
Her mother later recalled that her daughter removed her wig. Following the experience, she began embracing her bald head with a confidence her family had not seen before.
The moment reflected something Ella had experienced years earlier—the importance of seeing yourself represented when treatment has changed the way you look.
Today, Glimmer of Hope Foundation supports pediatric cancer families across the country through its bald doll program, Best Day Ever experiences, the annual Glimmer Gala and the Courageous Moms Collective, which provides support and connection for mothers navigating their children's pediatric cancer journeys.
This September, during Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, Hornung hopes Hope Has No Hair will reach more children, parents, schools, hospitals, counselors and caregivers, both within and beyond the pediatric cancer community.
For one child, feeling different may come from cancer and hair loss. For another, it may be an illness, disability, physical difference, family hardship or another difficult experience.
Hope Has No Hair gives children and the adults who care for them an opportunity to talk about those differences and about confidence, kindness, belonging and hope during difficult times.
At its heart, the book carries forward a lesson rooted in Ella's own experience: seeing yourself represented can make a profound difference when you feel unlike everyone around you.
Her doll was named Hope. Today, that hope continues through a book, a foundation and the children and families reached through Ella's legacy.
About Hope Has No Hair
Written by former Miss Rhode Island Alison Hornung and illustrated by Kelly Mengarelli, Hope Has No Hair was inspired by the true story of Ella Catherine Integlia and her experience with leukemia. While rooted in the pediatric cancer journey, the book carries a broader message for children going through difficult circumstances or struggling with feeling different from their peers.
About Glimmer of Hope Foundation
Founded by former Miss Rhode Island Alison Hornung and inspired by the life of Ella Catherine Integlia, Glimmer of Hope Foundation supports children and families navigating pediatric cancer nationwide. Its initiatives include providing bald dolls to children undergoing treatment, Best Day Ever experiences across the country, the annual Glimmer Gala, the Courageous Moms Collective, family resources, advocacy and Hope Has No Hair.
This is a paid advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.
