Barbie in child’s corner for cancer fight

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This article was published 10/12/2020 (1791 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brave Barbie doll from San Clemente, Calif., crossed the border into Canada and was quarantined for two weeks before finding a new home with an eight-year-old girl battling cancer in Winnipeg.

Emily Pile was diagnosed with orbital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in April. She made the decision to cut off her hair while she went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It was a hard moment among several, says her mom, Stephanie Reimer.

“The hair thing for Emily, not that we were seeing anybody because of COVID, but if we were even going out for a walk and some of her friends live on our street, she would want to wear her hair covering or her tuque so her bald head wasn’t showing,” she said.

Seeking to boost her spirits, the Never Alone Cancer Foundation received a request to find Emily a Brave Barbie, a special model with no hair, for children battling cancer.

The Winnipeg charity’s executive director, Michael Schiefer, found one of the rare dolls in California. The doll was shipped to Roseau, Minn., and volunteers from the Manitoba community of Vassar helped get the doll over the border, where she quarantined for two weeks before being gifted to Emily on July 30.

“It did help give her the confidence — and it was so nice to see her so happy and so proud to have a doll that looked like her and to have the self-confidence to go out and only have sunscreen on her head,” said Reimer.

The Never Alone Foundation is a charity with one employee and a group of volunteers who provide support for families and caregivers affected by cancer.

Reimer, and Emily’s “bonus mom,” Mandy Pile, said the doll helped Emily come to terms with her hair loss. The doll never left her side.

“It was definitely something she could not leave at home,” said Pile. “She got it just at the start of radiation, so it came to radiation with her pretty much every single time we went.”

Emily finished her 24 weeks of cancer treatment in October.

Therese Labossiere, volunteer and board member with Never Alone, said she saw the impact the doll had on Emily and it sent her on a mission to find more of the rare Brave Barbies. Labossiere phoned organizations throughout Canada before getting in touch with the executive director of toy maker Mattel Inc.

Labossiere shared Emily’s story; Mattel donated 100 Brave Barbies to the Winnipeg charity.

“Every kid needs to feel that sense of normalcy and belonging, and for young girls, their hair is so important to them,” she said.

“Having these bald Barbies, she comes equipped with the wigs and the scarves and stuff, I think it’s just a wonderful tool to help them come to terms with this loss and to know they’re not alone, and there are so many kids going through this journey and this battle, too.”

Never Alone will be distributing seasonal packages to families impacted by cancer Dec. 17-18 — some will include a Brave Barbie.

The charity is currently building a holiday float Santa will ride to drop off the packages in a socially distant way.

kellen.taniguchi@freepress.mb.ca