Air date: June 20, 2019
At just nine years old McKenna Rae Schummer was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – a cancer that eventually took her life. But during her treatment at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, McKenna discovered a passion for make up.
Melissa: So she became known as this little girl who always had her makeup on and then the nurses started bringing in their makeup and she would ask can I do your makeup oh of course.
Her hospital room turned into a salon. Make up, hair, nails – she did it all. But then she thought, why not go bigger? And with a financial donation from a family friend, McKenna created something amazing.
Melissa: One day was I’m going to call it McKenna’s Squad Beauty Bar and I want to do the makeup on the kids at the hospital.
Mitch: Was there a grand opening for the Beauty Bar?
Melissa: There was.
Luanne: The grand opening was extremely emotional for all of us because we saw these kids come in again you can see they don’t feel well they step into this room and they light up.
McKenna passed away before seeing her Beauty Bar complete but her vision of it is everywhere. Volunteers and nurses are her beauty squad – helping to make her clients feel beautiful. And if the patients can’t make it to McKenna’s Squad Beauty Bar, a Beauty Box travels to them.
Melissa: It looks just like the beauty bar like you are walking in it has McKenna’s signature it has her quote “Find your courage, strength and beauty”.
Mitch: McKenna’s message portable
Melissa: Yes it is
Luanne: She was a beautiful girl and she wanted to help others even when she didn’t feel well.
McKenna’s Squad Beauty Bar is helping hospitalized kids find their beauty, inside and out, right here in the heart of Detroit.
