Childhood Cancer

Ellie’s Hats – Our February Community Outreach Partner

We just love the mission and community of Ellie’s Hats, a local non-profit that was started with the mission to brighten the day of children with cancer.
Ellie's Hats

Ellie’s Hats was founded as a 501 (c)(3) in 2014 after Ellie started kindergarten at the Woodburn Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Ellie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in spring 2013. By the time she entered kindergarten she had lost most of her hair and was always wearing hats to school. Her teacher, Jay Coakley noticed her fun and cheerful looking hats and he organized a hat drive to provide her with a broader selection of hats to wear. Please check out their website for other ideas on how you can help in addition to donating and share this story to spread the word! We are honored to be donating $1 from every haircut this September to this amazing local non-profit!

Since 2014, Ellie’s Hats has donated over $400,000 to families and local clinics. That’s just incredible!

This February, we are donating $1 from every haircut we do at Salon Khouri to this amazing and dedicated local non-profit.

 

In Memory of Mathias Giordano

Each month, Salon Khouri donates $1 from every haircut to a local non-profit. We are dedicating our December haircuts to Mathias Giordano and will be donating $1 from every haircut in December to Team Mathias, the non-profit founded in Mathias’ name.

The mission of Team Mathias is guided by what was important to Mathias during his battle with cancer. He was determined to make a positive impact in the lives of kids diagnosed. In a general sense, this meant calling attention to the facts about pediatric cancer. Childhood cancer research is consistently underfunded and for many cancers, treatments are severely out-dated and awareness leads to funding, and ultimately to research and better treatment options. On a daily and personal level, Mathias’s heart went out to kids in the same situation. He identified where he could help and his ideas shaped the work we do today.

Below is a post made by Mathias’ mom on 12/12/2022, the 8th anniversary of Mathias’ passing.

“8 years ago today, I kissed your forehead for the very last time. 8 years of missing you, 8 years of what if’s, 8 years of paying it forward in your loving memory to keep your legacy alive.
You may be gone but you are not forgotten.
@everyone today hug your kids a bit tighter & let them know how much they are loved and appreciated.
Also if possible please do something special to bring a smile to someone’s face. ❤️🎗️🙏

Alex’s Army Making an Impact – Our September Community Outreach Partner

As we #GoGold this September, we have selected Alex’s Army Childhood Cancer Foundation as our community outreach partner! We are honored to donate $1 from every haircut we perform this month to this impactful, local non-profit. Alex’s Army Childhood Cancer Foundation is a 501c3 whose mission is to raise awareness and funding for Childhood Cancer Research while providing Christian focused support to the Childhood Cancer Community.

Through the financial gifts of supporters, Alex’s Army has been able to contribute an astounding $440,000 over the last several years specifically to help fund the REST Immunotherapy Trial at Children’s National Hospital. AACF has remained fully committed to funding this particular trial as they share in the belief with many in the Pediatric Oncology World that Immunotherapies are the future of pediatric cancer treatments.

Be sure to check out the many amazing events that AACF has planned this September.

Alex’s Army Childhood Cancer Foundation was formed in honor of Alex Green, who was diagnosed with a Stage IV Wilms Tumor in 2009 at the young age of 5. To say Alex was a fighter is a bit of an understatement. Throughout his treatment, Alex endured 400 chemo/infusions/immunizations, 100 clinic visits, 15 ER visits, 200 inpatient admissions, 300 IV pokes, 34 total days of radiation, 32 times being put to sleep, 1 bone marrow aspirate, 100 scans (CT/Xray/PET/Echo/EKG) and 15 surgeries.

We wanted to share these words written by Jenni and Derek Green:

Over the years, our family had frequent discussions of faith, of hope – when all else seemed hopeless, of finding strength in God when we are too weak, of death, of heaven, of cancer, of fairness, of being different, of struggles in life, you name it – we talked about it. There are no words to describe how it feels as a parent to have to watch your child endure so much pain and heartache in their little innocent lives. The natural tendency as a parent is to want to fix everything, to shield and protect them from pain, danger, and heartache. Through all of this, one of the things we have learned time and time again is that we are not in control. The only comfort and joy we have been able to find, and finding this has been amazing, but it is in knowing that there IS a greater purpose for us all. While this life is nothing that I would have imagined or picked for us; we have seen so much goodness come out of this pain, we have seen firsthand how God works in His own perfect timing and ours eyes have been opened to the beautiful promises He has given to us. While we may not understand why our family has had to endure this trial, we find comfort in knowing there is a reason and that reason is for good and for a greater purpose. Our sweet Alex passed away at the age of 12 years old on June 5th, 2016 with his Mom & Dad holding his hands and by his side. Alex is the inspiration behind Alex’s Army and we are committed to helping find a cure for all Children battling Childhood Cancers.

With Faith, Hope, and Love Always,
Jenni & Derek Green

 

Honoring Kate Rhoades via Kate’s Cause – our June Community Outreach Partner

This June, our Salon Khouri Community Outreach Partner is Kate’s Cause. For each haircut we do in June we will be donating $1 in support of this amazing non-profit. Kate’s Cause is doing spectacular things for children who are battling cancer. Their mission is to discover improved and less toxic treatments for the disease. Currently, one of their main focuses is making a commitment of $75,000 to fund research being done by Dr. Yael Mossé, MD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Mossé’s goal is to develop drugs specifically targeting MYCN, an “undruggable” driver of pediatric cancer. Doctor Mossé has gathered a team of researchers with individual experiences and ideas on attacking MYCN using new and innovative technology. Together, they will prove that the drugs they are developing are operative against most lethal pediatric cancers. Once the grant for the project is completed around Spring of 2025, they will be ready to launch a clinical trial and utilize the new medicine.  

Kate Rhoades

You can help out too in this journey! Kate’s Cause is easily accessible on AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. Simply search for “Kate’s Cause.”

You can even support the cause in small actions throughout your day, or RAKs – Random Acts of Kateness. Kate was a kind soul who loved to spread joy, and you can spread awareness  by doing the same. Buy coffee for someone else in line – use the opportunity to tell them about Kate! Perhaps you could leave a note in a library book or shopping cart – brighten someone’s day!

You could write a thank you card for your bus driver, crossing guard or neighbor to wish them a nice day! Maybe leave some change at a vending machine along with a RAK tag.  You never know what small things can make someone’s day 100 times better, so give it a shot, and thank you for supporting Kate’s Cause. 

FOHA Saving Fury Lives Since 1973 – Our March Community Outreach Partner

Each year, roughly 3 million cats and dogs in the US are euthanized without cause due to an overflow in shelters and a lack in adoptive homes. This March, Salon Khouri is partnering with FOHA (Friends of Homeless Animals), donating $1 from each haircut to this amazing, local non-profit. 

FOHA strives to bring an end to the unnecessary killing of companion animals, to provide a safe shelter for abused and abandoned animals, and to find a permanent, loving home for them. FOHA makes a lifetime commitment to each and every animal they bring into their organization. If at any point after an adoption, the adopter can no longer care for their animal, FOHA will welcome them back into their care and continue to search for a new home. They dedicate themselves to each and every animal, including those harder-to-adopt, and will make sure that they dwell comfortably in an individual space. 

Since 1973, FOHA has saved and placed in permanent homes more than 16,000 cats and dogs that would have otherwise been abandoned or killed. This success is the legacy of Anne Lewis. In the late 1960s, Anne was involved in an animal rescue – when another animal-related organization trapped a feral mother dog and puppies on the family’s property. Although she tried her best to save the animals, they were euthanized by the animal organization who had trapped them. Anne was unaware of the plight of homeless animals prior to this tragedy. So she decided to join a series of rescue organizations to prevent this from reoccurring. But she was unsuccessful in finding an organization that was faithful to a no-kill policy. So Anne founded her own organization, Friends of Homeless Animals, in 1973, and dedicated the remaining 32 years of her life to rescuing and caring for these innocent animals. So join us and FOHA this March to make a difference in our community, and to save countless lives of homeless cats and dogs. 

Ellie’s Hats – Our February Community Outreach Partner

We just love the mission and community of Ellie’s Hats, a local non-profit that was started with the mission to brighten the day of children with cancer.
Ellie's Hats

Ellie’s Hats was founded as a 501 (c)(3) in 2014 after Ellie started kindergarten at the Woodburn Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Ellie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in spring 2013. By the time she entered kindergarten she had lost most of her hair and was always wearing hats to school. Her teacher, Jay Coakley noticed her fun and cheerful looking hats and he organized a hat drive to provide her with a broader selection of hats to wear. Please check out their website for other ideas on how you can help in addition to donating and share this story to spread the word! We are honored to be donating $1 from every haircut this September to this amazing local non-profit!

Since 2014, Ellie’s Hats has donated over $200,000 to families and local clinics. That’s just incredible!

This February, we are donating $1 from every haircut we do at Salon Khouri to this amazing and dedicated local non-profit.

 

Seven Years …

12.7.2021

Today marks seven years since Mathias Giordano left this world to enter into the eternity of Heaven. We are honoring Mathias’ memory by selecting Team Mathias as our December Community Outreach Partner at Salon Khouri. We will donate $1 from every haircut this December to this amazing, local non-profit.
We couldn’t agree more with the beautiful words penned by Jennifer Skinner:
“I spend a lot of time praying for teens and young adults these days. Just today I prayed for a college kid to do well on a final exam. I prayed that a young high school baseball player – one of the best pitchers and kids I know – would have a successful Tommy John surgery. I’ve prayed for good SAT scores and college acceptances, for internships and promising job opportunities, for solid friendships with new classmates and colleagues and for seamless adjustments to new schools, new towns, and new jobs. I always end those pleas with prayers for these young men and women to have – more than anything else – confidence, resilience, faith, and bravery in the face of any of the challenges they might meet.
Today as I prayed those prayers I remembered Mathias Giordano – a boy who was the epitome of confidence, resilience, faith, and bravery and who also, I might add, had a wicked sense of humor and a smile for the ages.
Mathias did not get the chance to continue his athletic endeavors into high school, much less college. He didn’t get the chance to take the SAT, to apply to college, to cram for finals in a dorm room, to kick ass in a job interview, or to move to a new city all on his own. Because cancer stole him on this day in 2014.
And yet, in his short life, he showed me what matters the most in all the world. And though, they are amazing, it’s not a 1400 on the SAT or an A on an exam. It’s not an athletic scholarship or a paid internship in New York City.
Instead, it’s courage, faith, family, friends, and smiling. He taught me a whole lot about smiling.
You were one of a kind, kid. I’m thankful that our paths crossed, if only in those handful of moments over that short period of time. It didn’t take you long to do what you needed to do, to teach what you needed to teach, and to shine that smile on those who needed you to smile at them.
God bless and be near to you tonight, Roya, Chris and Troy.”

Ellie’s Hats – Our September Community Outreach Partner

Just last September we reported on Ellie’s Hats’ amazing milestone of a total donation package of $100,000 through a partnership with Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) to donate $1,000 a month to five local families in need of financial support. Well, they didn’t stop there! As of June 16, 2021, the group reported delivering 160 $1,000 checks to local families working through PSV Clinic and Scharr Cancer Institute Social Workers. Ellie's Hats

Also by mid-June 2021, the group reported having sent more than 1,900 packages to children across the country. Ellie’s Hats packages are large canvas totes containing a hat for the cancer patient and his or her siblings, a T-shirt and other items to help and support patients and their families. Ellie’s Hats also provides Hero Bags to Inova Children’s Hospital for new admitted pediatric cancer patients. The Hero Bag contains items helpful for a family who has a child admitted to the hospital.

Friday September 17, 2021 the annual Ellie’s Hats Open will take place at South Riding Golf Course from 7:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and the event includes breakfast and lunch. Registration is now closed, but be sure to keep up with Ellie’s Hats other great events posted on their website!

Ellie’s Hats was founded as a 501 (c)(3) in 2014 after Ellie started kindergarten at the Woodburn Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Ellie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in spring 2013. By the time she entered kindergarten she had lost most of her hair and was always wearing hats to school. Her teacher, Jay Coakley noticed her fun and cheerful looking hats and he organized a hat drive to provide her with a broader selection of hats to wear. Please check out their website for other ideas on how you can help in addition to donating and share this story to spread the word! We are honored to be donating $1 from every haircut this September to this amazing local non-profit!

 

Kate’s Cause – Happy 10th Heavenly Birthday, Kate

Happy heavenly birthday, sweet Kate. Today, you would be celebrating turning 10 … possibly sassing your momma, definitely loving the 2021 invasion of the cicadas, and absolutely giggling that your momma is practically wearing a bee keeper suit to keep away from them. I hate that you are not here with her and your dad. I hate cancer. But I think of you daily, and think of ways to make the world better in your memory.

One of those ways is by dedicating our June Community Outreach Partner at Salon Khouri to Kate’s Cause, giving $1 from every haircut we do in June to support this amazing non-profit your parents set up. Kate’s Cause is doing great things for other kiddos battling cancer. It’s their hope and mission to find better, less toxic treatments. One of the big things they are working on now is by committing $75,000 to help fund some great research being done by Dr. Yael Mossé, MD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Mossé’s goal is to develop targeted drugs for MYCN, a currently “undruggable” driver of pediatric cancer, within the next four years. This amazing doctor brought together a team of complementary researchers, each with unique experience to attack MYCN with innovative new technologies. Together, they will prove that the drugs they’re developing are effective against most lethal pediatric cancers, and they will be ready to launch a clinical trial shortly after the grant is completed in Spring 2025!

Precious Kate Rhoades

We encourage you to visit Kate’s Cause to learn what you can do to help beat childhood cancer. We also ask that you perform Random Acts of Kateness to honor Kate during June (#RandomActsOfKateness).  Find a neighbor who needs assistance going to the store or who needs help with their yard work; pay for the car behind you when you go through the drive-thru; offer to pay for a fellow shoppers’ items next time you go to a store. 

Our September Community Outreach Partner Just Hit This Amazing Milestone!

If you have been with us at Salon Khouri for some time you will recognize Ellie’s Hats, a nonprofit founded to brighten the day of children with cancer through donating not just hats but other items to children and their families. We chose Ellie’s Hats once again as our local non-profit community outreach partner for September 2020 and we will be donating $1 from every haircut to this amazing organization. 

In 2019, Ellie’s Hats launched an initiative, partnering with Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV), to identify five local families in need of financial support each month, and to donate $1,000 to those families. On Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Ellie’s Hats delivered five checks, pushing the organization’s total donations to a $100,000 milestone! 

In the words of founder, Jay Coakley, “More than anything, this [milestone] is a reflection of what is possible when we all come together to support a greater cause.” Dr. Christopher Lawlor, PSV Philanthropy Chair and Medical Director of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, added, “Ellie’s Hats keeps our kids and their families covered, from the hats on their heads to the financial support in their homes. We are appreciative of their support. Ellie’s Hats understands the financial impact childhood cancer can have on families. They are always there with support.”  

Ellie’s Hats was founded as a 501 (c)(3) in 2014 after Ellie started kindergarten at the Woodburn Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Ellie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in spring 2013. By the time she entered kindergarten she had lost most of her hair and was always wearing hats to school. 

Her teacher, Jay Coakley, noticed she had an affinity for ‘fun and cheery hats.’ He organized a hat drive to provide her with a broader selection of hats to wear and thus Ellie’s Hats was born. 

Please take a moment to visit the Ellie’s Hats website to see how you may be able to help.