Author and Philanthropist Debbi DiMaggio is partnering with George Mark Children’s House this summer to lead a cause marketing campaign (July 1 – August 31, 2015) and public call-to-action to send 25th birthday wishes to a special woman who may be having her last big birthday. Tashawna is a young adult, who is bravely facing a degenerative disease that has already taken the lives of her father and sister called Friedreich’s Ataxia (a rare inherited disease that causes nervous system damage and movement problems with symptoms like ALS).
Tashawna often visits George Mark Children’s House (Bay Area), which is where her sister sadly passed away, to receive comfort and support from this team. http://georgemark.org. She loves to dance and keeps a positive attitude, despite finding herself in a wheelchair most of the time and watching her body fall to the disease.
When Tashawna was asked how she wanted to celebrate life for her 25th birthday this August, she smiled and said, “Fashion is my life, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 25th Birthday than by having a fashion party.” This “Make Fashion Dreams Come True for Tashawna’s 25th Birthday” campaign is a reminder to celebrate loved ones every day, and especially those with life-threatening diseases.
Because Tashawna and Debbi DiMaggio both love fashion and George Mark Children’s House, Debbi is planning fun fashion birthday celebrations for her in July and August through events, along with a request for birthday wishes from the public on social media and fashion birthday cards.
If this might be your final big birthday, how would you like to celebrate? Here’s what Debbi DiMaggio and the George Mark Children’s House are planning for Tashawna, and how you can easily get involved.
- Fashion Day for Tashawna (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)
This fun fashion day will include make-up and hair styling (by Bounce Blowdry Bar) for Tashawna and her mother, along with a professional fashion photography shoot (provided by Cuyana, Union Square, San Francisco, CA), new dress and accessories provided by Cuyana. - Happy Birthday Tashawna Videos on Social Media (July 1 – August 31, 2015)
Everyone is invited to post “Happy Birthday Tashawna” videos on the George Mark Children’s House Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/George-Mark-Childrens-House/119661374724882?fref=ts) and use the hashtags #celebratelife and #fashiondreamscometrue everywhere on social media. You can film a short video on your smartphone, and/or post a montage of birthday wishes like this one: Happy Birthday Tashawna from Comic-Con 2015 - Fashion Birthday Cards for Tashawna (July 1 – August 31, 2015)
If you prefer to send a card, everyone mail fashion birthday cards to Tashawna at the George Mark Children’s House (2121 George Mark Lane, San Leandro, CA 94578). You can also post the cards on social media like this one. - Big Birthday Life Celebration Party for Tashawna’s 25th (Saturday, Aug 29, 2015)
On Saturday, August 29, 2015, Debbi DiMaggio will host a special 25th birthday party for Tashawna at George Mark Children’s House where they will showcase the “Happy Birthday Tashawna” Videos and Fashion Birthday Cards from the public and loved ones. The birthday cake will also include a photo of Tashawna from her fashion day photo shoot. Her actual 25th birthday is August 28, and the party is August 29, 2015
Debbi also encourages people to send other ideas for how to make Tashawna’s 25th birthday and life celebration summer even more special to George Mark Children’s House via Facebook – plus post Happy Birthday #CelebrateLife Videos for anyone special in your life with #fashiondreamscometrue on George Mark Children’s House Facebook.
Similar Debbi DiMaggio’s role model, Lady Diana, she asks everyone to help give the gift of a generous smile, open heart, and a helping hand to Tashawna and to anyone facing a life-threatening diseases who need out support and love.
Debbi DiMaggio primarily supports 5 Children’s’ Charities in the San Francisco Bay Area. These groups help children and young adults who are disadvantaged by disease, war, and poverty, including: George Mark Children’s House (pediatric palliative care home), Salvation Army, EBAC (East Bay Agency for Children), UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and Boys and Girls Town of Italy (US supported charity in Rome, Italy that helps young adult war refugees build a life). http://debbidimaggio.com
