Two days before Christmas 2010, Caroline Pallidine was diagnosed with Leukemia. She was only 13 years-old, but never feared losing her life. What scared her most, was losing her hair.
"I had long blond hair down to my waist," said Caroline, "I was so proud of my hair and I loved it."
After just a few weeks of chemotherapy at Miami Children's Hospital, Caroline's hair was completely gone. She decided to start wearing a wig, even though her mother made it clear to her that she didn't need it.
"We always told her, even bald she looked amazing," said Tica Pallidine. "Her eyes, her smile, just radiate. I told her, the hair is no longer there to block your beauty."
But her words didn't make a difference.
Caroline was so self-conscious about being bald, she wore her wig everywhere, even the car ride from her house to the hospital. But all of that changed in July, when an unlikely bald celebrity visited Miami Children's Hospital.
"I was shocked, oh my gosh, it's Pitbull!" Caroline said.
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The famous Miami rapper was there to surprise a group of cancer patients and spread the message, "Bald, Brave, Beautiful."
And it worked on Caroline.
"They were taking a group picture with all the other bald children, so I decided I wanted to join the group," she recalled, "especially since Pitbull was bald too. I just took my wig off."
And Caroline hasn't turned back since. Today, she's cancer-free, back in school, and her hair is starting to grow back.
On Saturday, Caroline hopes to inspire other young cancer patients by sharing her story at the 2011 Diamond Ball. She'll be honored at the annual gala which benefits the Miami Children's Hospital Foundation. For more info on the gala, click here.
