PROM FOR ALL
100 pediatric cancer patients get night to remember thanks to bevy of food vendors, stylists and more
Pediatric cancer patients at M.D. Anderson get a night to remember.
Peli Peli co-owner Thomas Nguyen doesn’t have fond memories of prom night.
“It wasn’t great,” says the restaurateur of his own Mayde Creek High School senior dance. “I didn’t have a girlfriend, or lots of friends, or an after-party to go to. I was kind of a lonely kid. It was not the prom that most kids have.”
Worried that the teens receiving treatment at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center were destined for a similar experience, Nguyen took matters into his own hands.
“I wanted them to have a first-rate prom, not some charity prom,” he explains. “That was the goal. That was the mission.”
One hundred pediatric patients attended “Prom Party Palooza” at the Children’s Cancer Hospital recently; some filed in mere hours after chemotherapy while others were escorted directly from critical care by medical staff. The three-level bash featured a superhero room for youngsters, complete with an Elsa impersonator from Disney’s “Frozen,” and Orbit, the Astros mascot. Adults were sequestered on the second floor, dubbed the “park for parents.”
“There was one little guy, wheelchair-bound, wore a white suit — who was just racked,” says DJ Johnny Nguyen, who with partner John McLaughlin (aka Johnny Mac) were in charge of music at the party. (The pair also spin every Sunday at Peli Peli’s Galleria location.) “You could tell this kid was battling hard but really wanted to be there. He put in the energy, so we responded and tried to give him a great night.”
Although the duo’s preferred style is a deep house music, song requests for the “Wobble” trickled in during the first five minutes of their set. Watching the young crowd line-dance is now one of Johnny Nguyen’s favorite moments from the evening.
A night out dancing — we take that for granted, he says.
“I liked that I could relate to all of the kids; we all had something in common,” says 16-year-old Mia Sharp, whose brain tumor was diagnosed three years ago. “No one brought up our situations, but we all knew that we were fighting.”
Mia, who wore a short royal-blue dress with “a lot of bling” on the big night, is part of the teen-led Impact group that helps M.D. Anderson brainstorm ideas and activities to motivate hospital youth. The collective suggested a “Great Gatsby” prom theme after reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel this spring.
“The most rewarding part for me is that the patient advisory council felt that they had a voice,” says child life services manager Quinn Franklin. She and Thomas Nguyen have been working together since he pitched the idea in September. “Thomas’ (res- taurant) friends, Kendra Scott, Al’s Formal Wear, Pageboy … they were so engaged and really set the tone.” Restaurants including Taste of Texas, The Tasting Room, Kuu, Roostar, Holley’s and the Craft Burger food truck all signed on immediately.
“I’m not saying this because I’m just a kid,” says Alyssa Ferguson, 14. “My favorite were those Craft Burgers — they do not taste like normal burgers.”
The teen also was impressed with Pageboy,
“I wanted them to have a firstrate prom, not some charity prom. That was the goal. That was the mission.” Thomas Nguyen
an on-demand beauty app that delivers stylists or technicians to your door. “My hair is very short because of chemo, so I was surprised that they were actually able to do anything with it. They used a straightener to curl the ends and hair spray to get it just right. I got lots of compliments.”
Pageboy co-founder Libby Cagle learned of M.D. Anderson’s prom through Kendra Scott’s marketing manager. The Austin-based jewelry designer gifted a “Color Bar” necklace, bracelet or earrings to every patient, family member and plus one. Cagle sent a beauty squad of nail technicians, makeup artists and hairstylists to work their magic; she wanted to re-create the primping process that healthy kids indulge in all the time.
Droves of Houstonians donated gently used gowns, and Al’s Formal Wear loaned tuxedos. Still, on the night of the event, Thomas Nguyen wasn’t entirely convinced that the prom was fun for everyone.
“There was a gentleman leaving early, and I thought it was because he was having a terrible time,” he says.
As it turns out, the man left because his daughter underwent surgery a few days prior and had worn herself out on the dance floor.
“When you’re throwing a party, you’re running around and can’t really soak in what’s going on,” Nguyen said later. “I’m just now seeing all of the little things from the picture — like the little girls getting their hair done.”
Despite her age and unwavering optimism, Alyssa accepts that for many, prom night truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Unfortunately, some people don’t make it to prom — the real prom — and the prom at M.D. Anderson might just be the only one that they go to,” she says. “It’s great that we got to experience that.”