KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 13 year old Aisha Patel is not afraid of the camera. The confidence shines through these photos.
She had a wish to be a model for a day, and that wish was granted.
Make-A-Wish Foundation teamed up with ME Photography and Pink Dinosaur, a Northland boutique, to provide this superstar a full experience.
"They did my hair and my makeup and clothes, jewelry and shoes," Aisha Patel said.
It all started with a limousine ride to Pink Dinosaur. She also got her pictures taken.
"It was amazing," Aisha Patel said.
But Aisha's love for being a model isn't for the spotlight, it's being a role model for others who may have a similar story to hers.
"Like some kids think they can't do it whenever they have like disabilities and stuff," she said. "But I'm just trying to show that you can still do what they want to do."
Aisha was diagnosed with a recurrent brain tumor.
"If you look at her journey, Aisha's journey, while she was going through chemotherapy or radiation therapy her physical looks did change in a very drastic way and she was losing a lot of confidence growing up," Aisha's mom, Dimple Patel said.
"We don't know why it happens. Nobody knows why it happens, especially happens to a child," Aisha's dad, Prasad Patel said. "So it is very important I think that we never lost a rope called hope. Hold on tight to it. Encourage the child, encourage each other. Step by step, we are growing her confidence."
And now she wants to spread that confidence to others.
"And looking at her growing from 2018 to now when I think she was seven years old when she was diagnosed, and she's now 13, healthy and I can't complain," Dimple Patel said. "She's just like perfect."
It's the support not just from her family, but the community that will stay with her on this journey.
"I feel grateful," I feel like it's exciting and it's a once in a life opportunity."
"This is going to be with her the rest of her life," Dimple Patel said. "And anytime she's down, she's going to remember this opportunity."
"We are really thankful to all of you, the entire team," Prasad Patel said. "Because this will only make her more confident and it will basically plant that seed within her that says 'yes, I'm back.'"
Make-A-Wish says Aisha gets MRIs every six to 12 months.
Aisha's photos will soon be featured in Her Life Magazine in the October issue.
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