What's My Crazy Life All About

I had a wonderful opportunity on Saturday to speak at a workshop series called "What's My Crazy Life All About?" The workshop was hosted by author Karen Bachert at Trine University in Mishawaka, Indiana. This first session was called " When Opportunity Knocks". It had all of the ingredients that are important for building a successful life. I was asked to share our story about Hello Gorgeous! and how I answered the door when opportunity knocked and I let it in.

This workshop is a series of 3 and will continue on August 28th,2010 and October 2nd, 2010. Seats are still available for the remaining 2 workshops at www.whatsmycrazylifeallabout.com .

Thank you Karen for such a wonderful event.

A Story of Inspiration

We were Lucky enough to be invited to the Susan G. Komen Walk in Mishawaka, Indiana this year. We decided that we would award a Gorgeous! Experience to a breast cancer survivor at this year's event. Our winner was not well enough to attend but her team, Tracy's Team, accepted her award in her honor. We were told that she was elated to hear that she had won a day of beauty. Tracy was going to be the 1st stop on our tour, the middle of June and we were very excited to put Warsaw Indiana on our tour schedule.

2 weeks later I received a phone call from Tracy's mother-in-law asking when her visit was going to take place. We explained to her that Tracy was our 1st stop out of South Bend on our tour and that would make it the middle of June. She requested that we move the date of Tracy's visit up. She explained that Tracy could really use it. I spoke with Trish and we decided to take care of Tracy the
Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend.

Tracy had suffered from breast cancer. She spoke very frank about her disease. She had been fighting for 5 years. She told me that the cancer was now in her lungs and in her bones, but that she thanked God everyday that it was not in her brain. I thought to myself, " What an amazing individual." Tracy was a fighter and fought her cancer with every weapon that she could get her hands on, traditional and non-traditional. She never stopped thinking of others. Even with her own pain present, she was doctoring to my husband Mike as we did her visit in the DaySpa.

We had a fantastic day with Tracy. Her friend Julie stayed and shared the visit with us. We treated Tracy to a manicure, pedicure, a facial and some hilites. I had gone shopping and picked up a couple of new shirts for Tracy to choose from and we aplied Tracy's make-up. Tracy was in some pain but did not want to miss out on any of the "Experience". She and I made a deal, I wouldn't constantly ask her if she was "ok" as long as when she wasn't "ok" that she would let us know.

Tracy's family took our suggestion and had a family get together to celebrate her new look. As Tracy was taken in the house, and we were walking up the sidewalk to join the party we heard a resounding "HELLO GORGEOUS!" from the backyard. How awesome!! When we arrived inside the house there were dozens of Tracy's Family and friends there to show their love and support for her. I kept thinking what an amazing woman - what strength. I gave Tracy a hug and a kiss on her cheek and told her to keep fighting. We drove off into the sunset and left her surrounded with love.

On Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day, we received a phone call that Tracy had passed away on Memorial Day, the day after our visit with her. I could not believe it. In my heart of hearts I thought I would see Tracy at our luncheon in November. To say the least I was in shock.

Mike and I attended the viewing and saw Tracy's friend Julie, who had spent that day with us. She said " You gave Tracy a great last day. You got her ready to meet the Lord." I will never forget that day as long as I live and I will no longer put things off until tomorrow, because it is promised to noone.

No time to buy a wedding gift today!

When Melissa's mom asked her to go shopping with her for a wedding gift for their friend, Kate, Melissa had no idea what was about to happen to her at the Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette, Indiana.
Can you imagine Melissa's surprise when we found her at J.C. Penney's at the jewelery counter and surprised her with candy, flowers and a big "Hello Gorgeous!", equipped with a camera man from a local news channel. To say the least, Melissa was shocked. She kept saying, "What is happening?" Melinda from the Cancer Community Center in Lafayette told me about Melissa and recommended her for this special day of beauty.
Melissa had been diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer in July of 2009. Melissa explained that this is a difficult cancer to diagnose because it is not you typical "tumor". This cancer is more like a rash that looks like an orange peel and is very tender. Melissa had to have surgery and is now half way through her treatment and will be done in October.
We treated Melissa to a manicure, pedicure and a facial. Melissa's friend and hairstylist, Wendy from Barnyard Cuts, came to help us out on the DaySpa and cut and colored Melissa's hair.

J.C. Penney's outfitted Melissa with a new clothing look, Payless Shoe Source gifted her a new pair of shoes and several other retailers presented Melissa with gifts to help remember her special day. This also included a beautiful bracelet from Things Remembered and a gift certificate from Englin's for an additional pair of shoes.

Melissa's husband Todd was a great help and arranged a large group of friends and family to be present for her big reveal at the Main Entrance to the Mall. Melissa then went to Applebee's for dinner to celebrate her new look .






(Melissa After)







(Melissa Before)

A Day Jayna needed

Planning Gorgeous! visits in cities where you don't know anyone can be very difficult. Finding the right person who will be accepting of our services or finding someone that can find you the right person is not as easy as you might think.

Just days before our arrival to Bloomington, IN for a planned visit at College Mall, I still had not found a candidate to surprise. It was 4:45 on the Friday before the Sunday that the Surprise was to take place and I had noone to make-over. So I said to Mike " As much as I don't want to, I am going to have to call Dena at College Mall and cancel our event. I can't seem to find anyone in Bloomington." Not 2 minutes later my cell phone rang. It was a radiology nurse from Bloomington that had a candidate for me and some contact information. I was so happy that we were able to keep that stop on our tour.

I spoke with Jayna's mom and she was willing to help set up the surprise. Jayna was diagnosed with lung cancer in April of 2010 and was still undergoing treatments. Jayna was having Chemotherapy and Radiation at the same time and, from my understanding, still had a way to go before being finished with her treatments.

We arranged for Jayna to be at Macy's at College Mall at noon for the surprise, and it went off with out a hitch. We whisked her away into the Mobile Day Spa for a complete transformation. The only word that Jayna kept saying was, "Wow! Wow!" We pampered Jayna with spa services. Jayna was in the process of loosing her hair due to the chemo so I shaved her head then we tried on a new wig.

The girls from Macy's; Cassie, Danielle and Jenna; were fantastic. They worked very hard to help make Jayna's day perfect. Macy's provided her with a new outfit and Jenna from Estee Lauder applied Jayna's makeup. When Jayna was finished, and looking even more Gorgeous!, we drove her over to Longhorn Steakhouse where 20 members of her family and some close friends had gathered ( which Longhorn donated) for her reveal. What a great day! Jayna looked Gorgeous! and had a renewed strength to keep fighting. I knew we had done a great job when Jayna's 14 year old daughter grabbed her when she first saw her mom. Need I say more.

(Jayna Before)

"I alomost forgot I had breast cancer"

Kathy was a blast!! Kathy was innocently shopping in the Muncie Mall at Bath and Body works when we turned her whole world upside down. We surprised Kathy and told her that she was nominated for a day of beauty and that she had won. She kept saying "what? I won what?"
Kathy told us about her cancer battle. Kathy was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2010 and she hoped that she was done with treatment. Kathy had a 17 year old daughter that she does everything for and does very little for herself. This day is not something that she would have done on her own. Kathy admitted to us that she couldn't remember the last time that she had even shopped for herself.
We treated Kathy to a manicure, pedicure, facial,a new wig and a make-up lesson. Stephanie from Maurices came and outfitted Kathy with new hip outfit. Tiffany and Katie from Muncie Mall had lined up a few surprises for Kathy form some of the retailers that were delivered to the Mobile Day Spa. When we finished with Kathy's Make-over we drove her over to Outback Steakhouse in the Mobile Day Spa for her big reveal. There Kathy was greeted by her husband, daughter and lots of their family and friends, that is Kathy looked at me with a smile on her face and said " Kim, I almost forgot I have breast cancer!" How cool is that! We allowed Kathy to escape this horrible disease.....even for a little while.

Read Kathy's interview in my preveious blog and get her take on her day with us.

(Kathy before)

Here is the article that appeared in the Muncie Star Press about our Makeover.


http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20107170309

Meeting? What Meeting?

Isabel arrived at the Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Mall in Indianapolis, Indiana on Friday
July 9th, 2010 expecting to have a meeting with someone by the name of "Kim" to talk about starting a young survivors group for young cancer survivors in Indianapolis. Imagine her surprise when we found her in the bar with her husband, Seth and Robin Jackson from an organization known as Ovarcoming. Isabel was shocked to find out that she was going to be treated to a day of beauty and a make-over. Isabel is 31 years of age and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in May 2008. It was very hard for me to hear that with ovarian cancer you very rarely get a clean bill of health. Isabel explained to us that she will always have ovarian cancer.
We created a very special day for her. Isabel received hair color and haircut, manicure, pedicure, facial and make-up. Faith Boutique donated her outfit, Apricot Lane donated shoes and jewelry and Kelly and Ed from Fashion Mall lined up a ton of gifts from other retailers that were delivered to the Mobile Day Spa through out the visit. We ended her day with a dinner get together at Sullivan's Steakhouse. Isabel truly felt like a queen and did not give her meeting a second thought.