🙏🏼 One Michigan Woman's Fight for Kids With Cancer
Episode 228 • 31st July 2026 • Total Michigan • Cliff Duvernois
00:00:00 00:33:21

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Twenty-three years ago, a teenager asked Maggie Varney a question nobody could answer: What do you do when you're a kid, and you need a wig? That question became Maggie's Wigs 4 Kids, a Michigan nonprofit that has now helped over 6,000 children fighting cancer, completely free of charge. This episode goes beyond hair loss into what it really means for a child to feel like themselves again, and the community in St. Clair Shores that made it possible. Listen in for a story of heart and grit, and find out how you can support Maggie's mission.

In this episode, we cover:

  • The real story behind Maggie's Wigs 4 Kids, and the simple question that started it all
  • Why losing your hair to cancer costs a child far more than appearance, and what it does to a kid's sense of identity
  • How one Michigan woman built a completely free program that's helped over 6,000 kids in 23 years
  • The story of the community, churches, schools, and civic groups that rallied around her before anyone knew her name
  • How to get involved, donate, or attend the August 12th gala supporting Wigs 4 Kids

Links:

Maggie's Kids for Wigs Website: https://www.wigs4kids.org

Subscribe to our Email Newsletter: https://totalmichigan.com/join/

Find us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/totalmichigan

Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@totalmichigan

Transcripts

Maggie Varney:

And I found out through that program that there was

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nothing for children, 'cause I had

a 16-year-old who came to my class.

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And I thought she was there to help

her mother, 'cause they both were bald.

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But a lot of times the family will shave

their head in support of the child, She

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raised her hand and said "What do you do

when you're a kid and you need a wig?"

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and I thought, "Gosh, I don't know.

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I found out that there

was nothing locally.

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I've been helping adults at that

point for over 15, 20 years.

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I certainly could help a kid.

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Cliff DuVernois: Hello everyone,

welcome back to Total Michigan,

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where we find the stories of heart

and grit from around Michigan.

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I am your host, Cliff DuVernois.

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Today's episode is gonna be a tough

one, because no child asks for cancer.

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I don't think we appreciate how traumatic

it can be to lose your hair, to look sick,

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and suddenly have other kids staring at

you when all you want is just to fit in.

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But today's episode is also a good one.

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It's about an organization

built to help these kids.

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By a woman who wasn't

ready, but became ready.

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And why, 23 years later, she

still shows up every single day

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so that every kid can be a kid.

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And this is free to Michigan families.

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Let's take a journey to St.

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Clair Shores and meet Maggie Varney

founder and CEO, who will explain to us

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what Maggie's Kids for Wigs really is.

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Maggie Varney: Wigs for Kids is a local

grassroots nonprofit organization,

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and what we do is provide wigs and

support services for children all

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throughout the state of Michigan.

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And we've been doing this for

about 23 years now, and we've

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helped over 6,000 children since

we started, all of them right here.

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Cliff DuVernois: Let's take a step back.

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Where are you from?

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Where did you grow up?

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Maggie Varney: I'm from Michigan.

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I live in St.

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Clair Shores, and I grew up here.

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And I'm a local, person who wanted to

have her business in the community.

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I'm a cosmetologist and I've been

volunteering and helping adult

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patients for about 40 years.

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I went to local hospitals, and I was

trained through the American Cancer

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Society and started helping them.

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And I found out through that program that

there was nothing for children, 'cause I

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had a 16-year-old who came to my class.

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And I thought she was there to help

her mother, 'cause they both were bald.

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But a lot of times the family

will shave their head in

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support of the child, you know?

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True,

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Cliff DuVernois: yes.

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Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm.

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And, or the patient.

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And at the end of the class, she raised

her hand and said "What do you do

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when you're a kid and you need a wig?"

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And here I am in the industry, and

I thought, "Gosh, I don't know.

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I know there's a program in Florida.

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I can call them and find out-" Right

… "where locally you could get some help."

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And I found out that

there was nothing locally.

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Uh, I thought I've been helping adults

at that point for over 15, 20 years.

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I certainly could help a kid.

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Cliff DuVernois: Sure.

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Maggie Varney: Uh, there's gotta be.

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And I said, "Well, don't you just go to,

like, a wig salon and, and buy a wig?"

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And she said, "No, they're all, they don't

fit and they're all old lady looking."

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Well, to a 16-year-old- Yes

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I'm sure that they felt

that was true, right?

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Yes.

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They don't have the styles.

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Very much so.

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Mm-hmm.

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and I said, "Well, let me check into it.

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Here's my card, and I will call you

as soon as I find something out."

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When I found out there was nothing, I

thought, well, you know, I can order a

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petite adult wig maybe and help her out.

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And, her mother was a single mom.

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They didn't have the means.

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And so that's what I did.

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But I found out through that experience,

she was my spark plug that encouraged me.

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Like, you know, well, you

know, there can't be that.

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I didn't really wanna work with kids.

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Right.

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I love kids.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

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Maggie Varney: And, you know, I'd

already worked with adult patients, and

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I know firsthand what they go through.

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You know, we laugh

together, we cry together.

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Yes.

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I shave their head.

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I provide them services and through

the, uh, Look Good Feel Better program

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through the American Cancer Society,

and that was all volunteer work.

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And I thought, well,

I can help a few kids.

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I had never met any in my career.

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You know, how many can there possibly be?

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There can't be that many.

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And we're having this conversation-

Yes … like I said, 6,000 kids later.

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Cliff DuVernois: All these decades later.

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So let- let's- let's

unpack a couple things.

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First off so cosmetology-

Mm-hmm … was your profession.

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What was it about cosmopolo-

cosmetology- that attracted you to it?

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Maggie Varney: Well, in our

industry, first of all, we're

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very caring people, and we love

to make people feel and look good.

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Mm.

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That's what we do every single

day- Yes … behind our chair.

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I was a national, an

international educator.

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I owned a salon, and I

believe in giving back.

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And at the time, my minister was

going through cancer, and he made

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an announcement, uh, and said,

"Is there anybody in this church

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that knows how to work with wigs?"

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Well, I'm from the late '60s.

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I was trained on wigs, 'cause

they were really popular then.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yeah.

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Maggie Varney: And I had training

on that, and I thought, "Well,

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I'm good at cutting hair.

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I can cut hair with a broken

Coke bottle," you know?

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Like- So I certainly can

cut his wig, you know?

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so I did, and he was so grateful,

because he, our program was, at

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church, was televised, and so

he wanted to look consistent.

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So I did his makeup and his hair.

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Every week, I would go in on Sunday

morning and do that to prepare him.

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And so that kinda tied in

with, I believe in giving back.

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Yes.

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I'm a person who believes in tithing

of your time, talent, and treasure,

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and so I donated my time to the church.

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I donated to the, uh, cancer

society, to the local hospitals

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to help adult patients, my talent.

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Now I had to donate my funds to

provide, to develop this program.

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So for the first seven years of

this program, I paid for every

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dime of everything, and we were,

we were 560 square feet on the

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side of a building with no sign.

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Cliff DuVernois: Right.

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Maggie Varney: And, um-

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Cliff DuVernois: People

were still finding you

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… Maggie Varney: kids were coming, and

I could not believe it, you know,

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that there were so many children.

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Cliff, there are over 500 newly

diagnosed cases of kids with cancer

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right here in Michigan every single year.

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Oh, wow.

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And when an adult is diagnosed,

it's like they're in treatment for

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one year, their treatment plan.

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For a child, it's three to five years, and

the recurrence rate for children is 75%.

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adult it's 20%.

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So because it's genetic based.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

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Maggie Varney: So that's why

it's so much tougher and so

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hard on these kids and families.

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Because when your child is going

through something like this, you, one

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parent, if it's a two-parent home, one

parent usually has to stop working, you

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know, so they can be at the hospital-

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Yes

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… with the treatment or…

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And a lot of times they're

single homes today.

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So it's, uh, very

challenging for the families.

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And after working with these

kids and finding out…

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I mean, I didn't know

how to do kids' wigs.

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Right.

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The, the wig companies didn't

even make wigs for children.

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Yes.

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There was only one company,

and it was synthetic.

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They didn't have human, and they

certainly didn't make custom wigs.

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And I thought, "You know, there's

gotta be a way to figure this out."

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if the hair was provided to me,

like, if people donated the hair,

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then I wouldn't have to pay for it.

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And I'm good at my craft, and

I thought, "I will figure out.

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I will get a wig company to listen to

me and to help me do this when they

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understand what I'm trying to do."

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Right.

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And we did.

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Cliff DuVernois: Perfect.

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Maggie Varney: you know, we received

over 13,000 hair donations last year

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from 68 countries around the world.

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Cliff DuVernois: That bakes my noodle.

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We're talking 68 countries.

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Countries.

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It, it's not just people in-

No … the immediate area.

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No.

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It's from around the world.

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And I know you're not

the only organization-

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Maggie Varney: No, we're

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Cliff DuVernois: not

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that makes Wigs for Wigs, so

that right there is impressive.

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Maggie Varney: There are other

organizations, and God bless them.

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They do good work, too.

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None of them, we are the only one in the

whole world that has a wellness center,

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where not only- Yes … do they come-

Yes … and we provide a custom wig for

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each child based on their disorder, but

we also provide the social, psychological,

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and emotional support that they need.

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No one does that, and I think

that's what endears us to people.

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Because losing your hair is not

a local problem or national.

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It's universal.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yeah.

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Maggie Varney: And every one of us has

been a kid, so we can relate, and most

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of us have been touched directly or

indirectly by cancer or someone we love.

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Cliff DuVernois: Sure.

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Maggie Varney: And over 55%

of our kids have cancer.

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We work with all nine hospitals

all throughout Michigan that

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service pediatric oncology.

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Cliff DuVernois: So I, I wanna take

a step back here because y- you, you

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dived into, you dove into this topic,

and for me, when I walked through

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the door of your facility today, I

was completely blown away I have…

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this is a new world for me, right?

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I'm learning, uh, as I'm,

as I'm doing this interview.

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I got goosebumps everywhere.

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But I walk into here and it's,

it's really is like you talked

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about a wellness center, right?

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It was almost like walking into a spa.

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Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm.

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Cliff DuVernois: And it took me aback

for a second, 'cause I kinda thought that

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walking in, like maybe there'd be a spot

where, like, you could have the child sit

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and y- they could try, try on the wig and

take measurements or whatever that is.

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And I expected to see all these

people maybe just like, quick

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manufacturing wigs around the area.

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But like I said, when I walked

in here, it was a spa treatment.

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We're talking about pedicures-

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Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm

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… Cliff DuVernois: for the kids,

and manicures for the kids.

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Absolutely.

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And we're talking about,

uh, skin treatments.

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And I, I was, I was blown away.

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And you would almost think that

this wasn't- like a wig place if

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it wasn't for the name on the door.

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So where did all this, like, come from?

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Where did you get the idea to do

this really holistic approach?

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Maggie Varney: I listened to the kids.

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Ah.

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So when I started, it was about putting

wigs on their heads, because that is the

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vehicle that allows them to go back out

into the community and just be a kid.

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Yes.

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They don't get bullied anymore.

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They fit in.

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People are not staring at them and

making fun of them, and kids can

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be cruel because they don't know.

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Yeah.

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So I spend, every single week

I go to a different school and

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educate the staff and the kids.

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"This isn't contagious.

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You're not gonna get it.

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These kids don't wanna be sick," so

that they know and they embrace these

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kids then instead of ostracizing them.

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Right.

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You know, they embrace them and

they become part of the problem,

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the solution instead of the problem.

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you know, I found out

that was necessary too.

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But I can't tell you I knew all this.

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I didn't know any of this.

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I really believe with all my heart it

is through the grace of God- … and

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the kindness of people is the only

way that we started and have been

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able to develop and grow this program.

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The need is so great.

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And then I started getting calls from,

Phoenix Burn Society, U of M Burn

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Center dermatologists, you know, w-

kids with alopecia, trichotillomania,

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the obsessive compulsive disorder where

they pull- Yes … their hair out.

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You know, l- uh, lupus, hydrocephalus,

water on the brain, you know, and they

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have to shave their head every time.

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They have to go back and have that done.

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They gotta go through that

growing out process no more.

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We make a custom piece for the top.

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They clip it in their own hair.

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They can have their own hair.

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They take it off, they have the

fluid removed, and they have

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their hair back immediately.

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Cliff DuVernois: That is amazing.

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Maggie Varney: Brain cancer,

the hair doesn't grow back

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after radiation, most of it.

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So they have all this beautiful hair all

over except the place that was radiated.

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Now we make them a custom

piece for that area.

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They can wear their own hair.

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They don't even have to wear a wig.

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They just clip this in, and they

have a full head of hair again.

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Cliff DuVernois: And that is something

beautiful too that you just said, and I

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wanna make sure that we point this out,

is that when you're going through chemo-

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Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm

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Cliff DuVernois: a lot of times the

patients, the child, or even the adult

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for that matter- They already have hair.

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Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm.

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Cliff DuVernois: And then as

they go through treatment,

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they're gonna lose that hair.

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But you're able to save that hair.

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So i- it's not a matter of, like

all of a sudden we gotta match

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hair colors and everything else.

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It's literally their hair.

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You've just taken it now

and turned it into a wig.

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Maggie Varney: Sometimes.

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Mm.

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Not all of them are willing to give it up.

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Cliff DuVernois: Oh, okay.

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Maggie Varney: They c- they…

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The hair doesn't start to fall out for

two weeks, but between the s- the second

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and third week, it's completely gone.

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Mm.

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It happens fast.

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When they come in and they still have the

hair, that's a luxury for me, 'cause I get

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to see the color, the texture, the length.

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But then sometimes they want

blue hair or, you know, mermaid

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hair, or green, you know?

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Yeah.

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So whatever they want, we give them.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

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Maggie Varney: But but a lot of

them have come in, and they will

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remove the hair, and we take it.

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And we can make a hair weft out of it

for a hair hat, and it's their own hair.

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I'll put them in a wig temporarily

while they're starting their treatment,

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and we'll have their hair sent in and

make it into a weft, and give them

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a hair hat, which is another option-

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Mm.

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Yes … for them in the summer

when it's 90 degrees, even though

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these wigs are beautiful and light.

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And I can order the density, the length,

the color, whatever they want or need.

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But still, it's not, as gorgeous as they

are, and as comfortable as they are for a

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wig, it's not like having your own hair.

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But when I can give them their

own hair back, that empowers them.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

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Maggie Varney: And we are the only

company anywhere that does that.

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So we have…

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And honestly, this just

developed by listening to them.

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I didn't know any of this.

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Yeah.

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I'm just like, they sit- There's no

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Cliff DuVernois: playbook for this.

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Maggie Varney: No.

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Cliff DuVernois: Right.

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Maggie Varney: They sit in my chair

and they're like, "You know, Ms.

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Ma-" And they're having trouble eating,

and I'm like, "Okay, we need a dietician."

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All those years that I spent volunteering

at the hospitals, I called the

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hospital and said, "I need a dietician.

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I have no money."

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That's

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Cliff DuVernois: beautiful.

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" Maggie Varney: I need a

pediatric oncology dietician.

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I have no money."

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They said, "No problem, Maggie."

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The same person that started

with us 23 years ago is still

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part of our medical team today.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

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Maggie Varney: And he does cooking

classes and nutrition classes,

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and he does one-on-one counseling

with the families at no charge.

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Everything these children receive

here, n- they pay for nothing.

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Oh, man.

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S- and the same thing with

our our pediatric, uh, uh,

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oncology, uh, social worker.

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We have her as well, and you know, if

they're having a problem, we can guide

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them and steer them to somebody who's

familiar with working with children.

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They can come here and

utilize our VR program.

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We work with Yale and Harvard University.

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They chose us because we have

such a large population of kids-

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes

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Maggie Varney: that we work with, and

this has been, honest to God, just

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a wonderful addition to our program.

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I didn't know anything about VR.

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I c- it's better…

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It's hardly turning on

my computer, you know?

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I'm so busy with the wigs and the kids.

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But it's true.

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The, that is a way that they can relate.

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They can take this, you know, their

little friends are at school, and

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they can only come over so, so

often, and their counts are down,

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and they can't have friends then.

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But they can have this

program available to them.

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Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

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Maggie Varney: And it keeps them from

being lonely, and it helps them to

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calm down, and it, not to be fearful

when they're at the hospital and, so

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there's so many good programming that

we offer here that people are not

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aware of because we're Wigs for Kids.

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Yes.

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But that is the vehicle.

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Yes.

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That is the, that is the draw.

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That is what they want.

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You know, you think as an adult,

we understand we're gonna lose our

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hair, and our hair's gonna grow back.

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But my adults sit in my chair, and we

cry together when I'm shaving their head.

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So it's never easy because it's such

an important part of our identity

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and who we are, and when we lose

that, you look in the mirror and,

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and you don't recognize that person.

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We give them that back.

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We help them with their eyebrows,

their skincare, with their makeup.

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You know, we have classes.

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They meet other kids like themselves.

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Yes.

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They become friends.

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They share.

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They talk about, "What

treatment are you on?

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How long is your treatment?

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Who's your doctor?"

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And sometimes they've never

met another child until they

382

:

were diagnosed themselves.

383

:

Yeah.

384

:

So same thing with our burn

survivors and dog bites and, you

385

:

know, blood disorders, lupus.

386

:

You know, the child that I was talking to

earlier on the phone when you came in is

387

:

a child who just graduated from Stanford

University with their medical m- masters.

388

:

Cliff DuVernois: Wow.

389

:

Maggie Varney: Okay?

390

:

Cliff DuVernois: Okay.

391

:

Maggie Varney: And she

was one of our kids.

392

:

Now here she is reaching back out to us.

393

:

I'm just…

394

:

You know, they come back.

395

:

They come back to see me.

396

:

I had one walk in a couple months

ago, and she said, "Oh, Miss Maggie,

397

:

you probably don't remember me."

398

:

And I said, "Sure I do."

399

:

She was the first child I ever helped

that was amput- to had a amputee.

400

:

And, uh, she's grown up now.

401

:

So if you think that these kids

don't matter, and this is not

402

:

important to them, they come back

years later, give back, help.

403

:

Because they know the

value of this program.

404

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes,

'cause they lived it.

405

:

Maggie Varney: It gave them their dignity.

406

:

It gave them their ability to

go back out and be successful in

407

:

life and feel normal and fit in.

408

:

And that's what we're about.

409

:

Cliff DuVernois: For our

audience, we're gonna take a quick

410

:

break and thank our sponsors.

411

:

Uh, when we come back, we're gonna talk

to Maggie some more about the wonderful

412

:

things that they're doing here for

kids all across the state of Michigan,

413

:

and, uh, we'll see you after the break.

414

:

Hello everyone and welcome

back to Total Michigan.

415

:

I'm your host, Cliff DuVernois.

416

:

Today we're continuing our

conversation with Maggie Varney

417

:

of Maggie's Wigs for Kids in St.

418

:

Clair Shores.

419

:

What Maggie has built is

nothing short of extraordinary.

420

:

Some might even call it a God thing.

421

:

But sitting with her story, I

kept coming back to one question.

422

:

Extraordinary things like

this rarely happen alone.

423

:

So how did an entire

community rally around her?

424

:

Maggie Varney: First of all, we couldn't

do it without the wonderful churches,

425

:

schools, clubs, especially the civic

groups, the Kiwanis, the Rotary,

426

:

the Optimists, you know, the Masons.

427

:

When nobody even knew of us, and they

would let me come in and talk about the

428

:

program and write checks to us to help

us defray the cost of making the wigs.

429

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

430

:

Maggie Varney: Because we

still have to pay for them.

431

:

Even though they're free to the people

and the hair is donated, we still have

432

:

to pay for the actual making of the wig.

433

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

434

:

Maggie Varney: And so we

reached out into the…

435

:

I mean, I would go and do talks at 7:00

in the morning and 7:00 at night, and in

436

:

between I would sandwich seeing kids in

between so I could get the word out there.

437

:

And, uh, but thank God for social media.

438

:

That's great now.

439

:

You know, so we utilize

that, that vehicle for sure.

440

:

And we had a wonderful person

who embraced Embraced our program

441

:

and helped us build a website.

442

:

Yes.

443

:

And and s- stealth consulting.

444

:

You just amazing, and put us on the map.

445

:

That's how we were able to reach around

the world and get all the hair donations.

446

:

And we have 1,200 salons and schools

that collect hair and send to us,

447

:

Cliff DuVernois: that is amazing.

448

:

Maggie Varney: That is what

we need to make the wig, but

449

:

we also need the funding.

450

:

I found out in the beginning, when

you're a small grassroots nonprofit,

451

:

people haven't heard of you yet.

452

:

Uh, even though I was known in

the community, so the community

453

:

rallied around and supported us.

454

:

The hospitals, you know, were

sending us people, staffing, at

455

:

no cost to help us get started.

456

:

And they are nonprofits themselves,

so they didn't send us money, but

457

:

they did send us support staff.

458

:

But, you know, you have to have funds.

459

:

eh, the room we're sitting in, the

Selfridge firefighters have been one

460

:

of our biggest supporters from day one.

461

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

462

:

Maggie Varney: And they still do a annual

golf outing every year and support us.

463

:

come to our gala all in their uniforms-

… you know, and show up for the kids.

464

:

Yes.

465

:

You know, the kids love it.

466

:

And it also shows the kids that receive

these wonderful, and families, that

467

:

receive all of this wonderful service,

who is out in the community helping.

468

:

And I explain to them, we have

what's called an Adopt a Kid program.

469

:

So the kids know who paid for their

wig, and the people who donate the

470

:

money know it went to a real child-

Yes … right in your community.

471

:

So that in itself was you

know- enduring to people, and

472

:

they, that's another reason.

473

:

But all the small businesses in

our community, not just in this

474

:

community, all throughout the state.

475

:

Everything from corporate

support to individuals.

476

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

477

:

Maggie Varney: You know, and like I said,

you know, I love it when the schools

478

:

get involved because they're kids.

479

:

Yes.

480

:

You know, who has the healthiest

and best hair to grow out?

481

:

The kids.

482

:

So we do a lot of cut-a-thons with the

schools, but they also raise money.

483

:

They do bagel sales.

484

:

They do all, and they come in and

they bring the money, and they sponsor

485

:

a child for that year, you know,

with the money that they fundraise.

486

:

And I always say our program is about kids

helping kids, and every day, we have at

487

:

least three to four volunteers in here.

488

:

Maybe two are adults, but

always two of them are kids.

489

:

You know, local high school- Yeah … they

have to do their community service

490

:

hours or for church, for communion,

and, you know, they have to do

491

:

community work, and they'll come in

and do their service hours with us.

492

:

So and I think it's good for

the kids that come through

493

:

the doors to see that as well.

494

:

Cliff DuVernois: And it sounds like,

going back to when you first started,

495

:

it seemed like a lot of doors-

496

:

Maggie Varney: Mm

497

:

Cliff DuVernois: were

opening quickly for you.

498

:

Did you ever stop at any point

in time and just be like, "Uh,

499

:

hey, God, what's going on?"

500

:

Maggie Varney: Every day.

501

:

This is the God's truth.

502

:

I used to come in, not to this building,

to my little, small 560 square feet.

503

:

Before we moved into a strip mall,

we didn't even have a storefront-

504

:

Right … which was next door to us

now, and this is our forever home.

505

:

Then we bought the property and were

able to build with a capital campaign.

506

:

I used to come in, and I used to

kneel down by the dryers, 'cause

507

:

I start at 5:36 in the morning.

508

:

Yeah.

509

:

And I would kneel down, I would

pray, and I'd say, "God, on

510

:

Planet Earth, we need money."

511

:

People would give us money for the wigs,

but they weren't gonna pay the rent.

512

:

They weren't gonna pay employees.

513

:

They weren't gonna pay for a phone.

514

:

Cliff DuVernois: Right.

515

:

All that overhead, yes.

516

:

Maggie Varney: Yeah.

517

:

Mm-hmm.

518

:

That you have to have.

519

:

So I had to figure that out, so I would

work 40 hours a week behind the chair

520

:

to see my own clients, and then 40

hours a week, I would donate to Wigs for

521

:

Kids so I could build the organization.

522

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

523

:

Maggie Varney: And to this day,

I still work 80 hours a week.

524

:

I just don't work behind

a chair and see…

525

:

Only adult patients once in a

while, but I only see children now.

526

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yeah.

527

:

Maggie Varney: And that's

how you get it done.

528

:

There is no simple or easy way.

529

:

Right.

530

:

And I used to…

531

:

Eleanor Josaitis, who is the co-founder,

her and Father Cunningham, of Focus Hope,

532

:

a very well-known nonprofit organization.

533

:

She was my client, and I used to say,

"I don't know who should pay who."

534

:

Because I would pick her brain.

535

:

Yeah.

536

:

Because they started in

the basement of a church.

537

:

And I said, "Didn't you

ever wanna just give up?

538

:

It's so hard."

539

:

And she said, "Quitting

is never an option."

540

:

And she was just a great

mentor and a dear friend.

541

:

So I have stood on the

shoulders of giants.

542

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yeah.

543

:

Maggie Varney: I didn't know all this.

544

:

I knew how to run a for-profit business.

545

:

I had a salon.

546

:

But a nonprofit is another world.

547

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

548

:

Maggie Varney: Different laws,

different rules, different animal.

549

:

So I had to figure this out.

550

:

Cliff DuVernois: Do you think

that actually helped you-

551

:

Maggie Varney: Absolutely … not knowing?

552

:

Oh, absolutely.

553

:

'Cause had I known

554

:

That there were so many children

that needed this in the beginning, I

555

:

probably wouldn't have chose to do it.

556

:

Because I can't tell you it's easy

work, because I lose about 25% of

557

:

them, and I know every one of them.

558

:

I get to know them and

their families well.

559

:

And I have a beautiful memorial

garden out front in honor of them.

560

:

That's the most

challenging part of my job.

561

:

You know, the long hours and working

hard, God has blessed me with good health.

562

:

As long as He does, I will

continue to do His work.

563

:

That's not an issue.

564

:

You make personal sacrifices because I

haven't been on a vacation since I started

565

:

this program, and that's not for sympathy.

566

:

I'm just saying- Yes … because,

you know, I'm busy.

567

:

I got a lot to do, so I'm,

you know, I'm blessed.

568

:

I'm blessed, and I will continue to do

His work as long as He wants me to do it.

569

:

And I have a great staff now.

570

:

I have a team here that works so

hard, and they're so dedicated and

571

:

loyal and committed to the mission.

572

:

Yeah.

573

:

'Cause we are mission-driven.

574

:

Yes.

575

:

And I said to my board, when

we put our board together, I

576

:

said, "I will not chase dollars.

577

:

My job is to focus on the children,

and any free time I have, I will do

578

:

my part to raise funds and help."

579

:

And I do.

580

:

As you heard, I do, but I will see

the children, and that's my job first.

581

:

so far, He has blessed us and opened

doors that I could never have opened.

582

:

Sure.

583

:

And people walk through our doors,

and, and I don't even know them,

584

:

but they know us, and they know

the good work that we're doing.

585

:

And you know, I'm very proud to say

that we have the highest rating.

586

:

On GuideStar, we have the platinum

level, and I don't say that to brag.

587

:

I say that because you earn it, and

we've had it for the last 10 years.

588

:

And, uh, that means we are who we say

we are, we do what we say we do, and

589

:

I'm a very good steward of the funds.

590

:

Nothing is wasted, and everything

is used and repurposed,

591

:

starting with the hair, right?

592

:

Yes,

593

:

exactly.

594

:

That's donated.

595

:

People, you know, want to give their

funds and their money to an organization

596

:

that, they wanna help, but they wanna

know that it goes to the children,

597

:

to the cause, not the overhead.

598

:

And I said to my board when we

were growing, they said, "You know,

599

:

you should, we should, you know,

start building," and I said, "No.

600

:

Until we have the money,

we will not break ground.

601

:

I will not chase dollars.

602

:

My job is to take care of kids."

603

:

Yeah.

604

:

And we waited 10 years.

605

:

Cliff DuVernois: But you got it.

606

:

Maggie Varney: And we're debt-free.

607

:

Cliff DuVernois: Beautiful.

608

:

I love that.

609

:

Maggie Varney: It's true.

610

:

Cliff DuVernois: So I'm gonna put

a call out there to anybody who is

611

:

either listening or watching this

particular episode If they're thinking

612

:

they're going to get a haircut,

and it's men and women 'cause-

613

:

Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm

614

:

… Cliff DuVernois: trust me,

I know plenty of guys that-

615

:

Right … grow their hair out long.

616

:

Mm-hmm.

617

:

But if they're thinking to

themselves, "You know what?

618

:

I would donate my hair-

619

:

Maggie Varney: Mm-hmm

620

:

… Cliff DuVernois: to this cause," what's

the easiest way for them to do that?

621

:

Maggie Varney: You know,

if they just grow it out.

622

:

It can't be chemically colored.

623

:

No, no chemical services.

624

:

It has to be virgin hair.

625

:

And we take all textures and all kinds.

626

:

You know, we ask for a minimum of

seven inches, 'cause we do have…

627

:

10% of our kids are boys, and

girls do wear shorter hair.

628

:

But we ask for 10 inches because most

girls who don't have hair want long hair.

629

:

So 10 inches or more.

630

:

And, uh, you just go to your stylist,

and, and most of the salons know,

631

:

but if not, you can go on Wigs,

that's with the number four, Kids.

632

:

It's Maggie's Wigs number

4 Kids of Michigan.

633

:

And there is a Wigs for Kids in

Ohio, and that's with F-O-R.,

634

:

and they do good work.

635

:

But if you want your hair to be

donated and to be walking around

636

:

here on some kid's head in our

community, then please consider us.

637

:

You know, it stays right here-

638

:

Sure

639

:

… and our kids benefit from it.

640

:

And we service all kinds of children,

every ethnicity, race, religion, color.

641

:

We help everyone.

642

:

We charge nothing.

643

:

We turn no one away.

644

:

So whatever your-

645

:

Every child is helped.

646

:

Yes.

647

:

So

648

:

whatever your, your texture or color is.

649

:

People go, "Oh, you wouldn't want mine."

650

:

And people go, "I have gray hair."

651

:

Well, we can accept 10% gray.

652

:

And you go, "How do I know if it's 10%?"

653

:

I don't care, send it anyway, 'cause

if you, if we can't use it for the

654

:

kids- We send it in for adults.

655

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

656

:

Maggie Varney: So nothing

goes to waste, not one strand.

657

:

Everything is used.

658

:

Cliff DuVernois: the next question I

got for you is there's a big event-

659

:

Maggie Varney: There is … that's

660

:

Cliff DuVernois: coming up.

661

:

Maggie Varney: You know, Cliff, we

only do one event a year because

662

:

honestly I don't have time.

663

:

You know, I'm so busy with the kids and-

664

:

Cliff DuVernois: What, you can't

fit it in your 80-hour workweek?

665

:

Maggie Varney: I know.

666

:

I'm telling you, it's the truth.

667

:

And it's, it really is the truth.

668

:

And but once a week, I mean,

once a year, I like to have a

669

:

celebration and a party for the kids.

670

:

Now, most fundraisers you go

to, they're for children, you

671

:

never see any children there.

672

:

And this is not a horse and pony show.

673

:

Cliff DuVernois: Right.

674

:

Maggie Varney: This is a

big celebration for them.

675

:

They dress up.

676

:

One third of the hall is

dedicated just to them.

677

:

They have their own area.

678

:

We have security.

679

:

And they, it's, looks like

Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory.

680

:

And we have K-pop braiding going on this

year, and we have a money booth where only

681

:

the kids get to go in there, and they get

to catch as much money as they can- Sure

682

:

real money.

683

:

I mean, we have all these things going on.

684

:

They have a blast.

685

:

They, like, run the show all night.

686

:

They just have fun, and the

parents are right there.

687

:

They can see them.

688

:

You know, it's a open room.

689

:

They can see them.

690

:

They're safe.

691

:

And the kids know that this pa-

this is a big party and celebration

692

:

for them, celebration of their

life, not of their illness.

693

:

You know, not of…

694

:

It's not sad.

695

:

It's a happy event, and that's the way

it should be because we're so grateful

696

:

that they're still with us, and they're

here, and we're getting, through the

697

:

support and love of the community- You

know, we are helping these families

698

:

get through this difficult time.

699

:

And you know, you never know.

700

:

I've had people that I go talk at

hospitals and in Lansing at the Senate

701

:

and the House of Representatives,

and three months later, they're

702

:

in my room with one of their kids.

703

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

704

:

Maggie Varney: You never know.

705

:

It crosses all lines.

706

:

There's, you know, it…

707

:

So y- but if you ever do know of a

child in need of our services, you

708

:

contact us, 'cause we do help everyone,

charge nothing and turn no one away.

709

:

Cliff DuVernois: And then how

could they connect with you?

710

:

Your website.

711

:

They can go…

712

:

Maggie Varney: Yep, they can go online

to our website, and it's real easy.

713

:

It's a simple form.

714

:

And they click on, on, you know, how

you can help, and if they wanna donate

715

:

their time or talent, or if they

are in need of our help, uh, there's

716

:

a form on there they fill out, and

it's real easy, simple questions.

717

:

The minute you hit, you send it to us,

we get it, we call you immediately.

718

:

Not a week later, a day later.

719

:

We call you that day.

720

:

I personally call the families

and talk to them, because this is

721

:

such a challenging time, you know?

722

:

Sure.

723

:

And we get them on the schedule.

724

:

There's no waiting.

725

:

Now, I may be, my schedule may be

full that day, that week, but I

726

:

will get you in as soon as possible.

727

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes.

728

:

Maggie Varney: And but in COVID, even

in COVID, we resorted to the Zoom, and

729

:

we now Zoom with all the hospitals, too.

730

:

If the kid, child is too ill, and

they're in their hospital bed to

731

:

come to us, we Zoom in to them.

732

:

And I, the nurse navigators do the

measuring and fitting, and they send me

733

:

all that information, and I put the wig

together and the kit and everything.

734

:

We ship it to them, and when they're

feeling better, they come back,

735

:

and then we fit it and re-cut it or

whatever they want us to do to it.

736

:

But they send me pictures,

and I make it look like that.

737

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yeah.

738

:

Maggie Varney: So we've reached

them right in their hospital beds.

739

:

You know, we help, we help

all the way through the upper.

740

:

I had mentioned earlier, I had

a young man that came to us.

741

:

His father drove nine and a

half hours to bring him down

742

:

'cause he wouldn't go to school-

743

:

Cliff DuVernois: Yes

744

:

… Maggie Varney: because he lost his hair.

745

:

So this is a very important program, and

thank God the people have embraced it.

746

:

And the community has.

747

:

And, we're here if you guys need us,

-:

748

:

You can call us directly.

749

:

If you ask to speak with me, I'm

probably with a kid, and I'll

750

:

call you at the end of the day

or the beginning of the next day.

751

:

Cliff DuVernois: Maggie, thank you

so much, not only for what it is that

752

:

you do, but also taking time out of

your schedule to chat with us today

753

:

Maggie Varney: It is an honor

and privilege first to meet you.

754

:

Thank you.

755

:

And you're such a wonderful

soul and such a Godly man.

756

:

And I love that because I'm telling you,

I could not do this work without my faith.

757

:

There's just no way.

758

:

Cliff DuVernois: Maggie's

Wigs for Kids isn't just wigs.

759

:

It's a place where kids fighting cancer

are seen and not treated like a diagnosis.

760

:

They help kids get their dignity

back, allowing them to go back out

761

:

into the world, lead a successful

life, feel normal, and just fit in.

762

:

Because of Maggie and her team, a

child with cancer can take one more

763

:

step towards being a normal child.

764

:

If you want to attend their gala,

th,:

765

:

Their information is on their website.

766

:

If you know of a family that's

walking through this right now,

767

:

share this episode with them.

768

:

It might be exactly what

they need to hear today.

769

:

My name is Cliff DuVernois,

and we are Total Michigan.

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