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“I want to tell people about organ donation because I don’t think many people understand how important it really is.”
This strong, positive girl, from Los Angeles, California, who embodies courage, perseverance and hope has been battling illness most of her life. At 12 years old, Jazmin was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis and is now in the hospital for Cirrhosis, a chronic disease of the liver, and waiting for her transplant. When asked why it’s taken so long to receive her new liver she laughs it off as if it’s no big deal. “I don’t know,” she says, “There are too many people on the waiting list and their are not enough livers. I might have to wait for a long time”. And although she tells us the mornings are really tough and sometimes she has headaches and pain, she remains upbeat and likes to focus on how she “still feels good” and “still feels ok”.
Jazmin has spent the last 8 months waiting for her new liver at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA and fights bravely through the bad days by looking forward to better days yet to come.
“My dream is to go to college. An actual college. To have a career. I’ve been thinking about a career working with children or helping people.”
GLAM4GOOD met this incredible young woman through Wish Upon a Teen a non-profit that provides free programming to adolescents with severe illness to normalize their environment and help rebuild self-esteem. Wish Upon A Teen reached out to GLAM4GOOD and asked us to give Jazmin a special day of fashion and beauty pampering. Through the course of our GLAM4GOOD day with Jazmin our team fell in love with this inspiring young woman and now hopes that by sharing Jazmin’s story we can help find her the liver she so desperately needs.
“She believes in seeing the best in people and in all situations,” says Megan Pike, a Child Life Specialist at Mattel Children’s Hospital, who helps patients cope with the stresses of hospitalization and started working with Jazmin a few years ago, when she found out she would be in need of a liver transplant. “Now that Jazmin has been in the hospital for such a long time,” she says, “I continue to work with our medical team to help her live as much of a normal life as possible. Despite all that she has been through, Jazmin remains an incredibly strong and positive person.”
Although Jazmin has been living in a hospital, away from your friends and family, she remains enthusiastic! When we asked her how she keeps her spirits up she says,
“When I am sad I just think positive. And I think about how all this waiting is going to be worth it in the end. I will be so excited to not have to be away from my family anymore! I just want to spend time with them.”
NOTE FROM GLAM4GOOD: To reach out for more information on Jazmin or offer help for Jazmin please send an email info@glam4good.com. Megan Pike for Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA tells us “Everyday our team here is privileged to witness the lives that are saved by those who have chosen organ, tissue and blood donation. The number of both children and adults awaiting organ transplants (of all types) far outnumbers the organs available for transplantation. Which means that, unfortunately, there are many stories like Jazmin’s. If anyone has questions about becoming an organ donor, please visit the website of the United Network for Organ Sharing, www.unos.org. And please, talk to your family and friends about your own wishes for organ donation today.”
The pictures in this of Jazmin are all from her GLAM4GOOD day shot by Photographer Don Flood. We chose to run very pretty, happy pictures of Jazmin but please understand the severity of her illness and the importance of her need for a new liver. GLAM4GOOD would like to thank the incredible team and brands that volunteered and donated products to make Jazmin’s GLAM4GOOD day so special. Jazmin was treated to a GLAM4GOOD #shoppingspree4free courtesy of TOPSHOP, Kenneth Cole and Berry Jewelry. Talented stylist Dolly Pratt and her assistant Natalya Novick and celebrity beauty expert Joey Maalouf gave Jazmin the gorgeous look she dreamed of and renowned fashion and beauty photographer Don Flood captured the beautiful day in the pictures. GLAM4GOOD is so grateful to everyone that participated and would also like to thank Wish Upon a Teen for all of the work they do for teens and for introducing us to Jazmin.
Thank you Glam4Good and Mary Alice for giving Jazmin this special day. Let’s all remember, this could be our family member so register to be an organ donor!
Hang in there Jazmin! Sending love from NYC! You are amazing!! xoxoxo
We were so honored to have partnered with Mary Alice and Glam4Good to give Jazmin a day she’ll never forget. Please remember that Jazmin is just one of so very many that are on the transplant list. If you are not a registered organ donor, please go and register now! Give the gift of life!
What an incredible story. Sending love and prayers from Detroit!! You can do this, Jazmin!!
Hello. Great job. I did not expect this. This is a great story. Thanks!