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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 19, 2010 · 22 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN By Christina Commisso METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP Phone: 905-337-5560 Fax: 905-337-5571 e-mail: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com Little princesses get royal treatment O nce upon a time, in a land not too far away, four princesses were pampered from head to toe as they prepared for the ball. The girls made sure to dress the part -- sporting tiaras and tutus, hair sprinkled in fairy dust and pink nails that sparkled. The young princesses even made sure to brush up on their curtsying skills before a meetand-greet with Cinderella. Copps Coliseum's backstage was transformed into a magical kingdom as Disney On Ice and Make-A-Wish Foundation treated four girls with life-threatening medical conditions to a glamour treatment. The event was called You Are A Princess Party and the local youngsters had a ball. "I'm going to the show tonight, so that's going to be my favourite part," said Cassandra Lyons as stylist Kim Duquette put the finishing touches on her princess up-do. Along with the makeovers and a personal meeting with Cinderella, the princess party includes front-row seats to the opening of Disney On Ice's premier of Princess Classics, which is making its annual stop in Hamilton from March 17-21. "It's nice to be able to give something back to the community we come into," said Eddy Zeidler, who plays Aladdin in the performance. Actors from the ice show took part in the party by helping the princesses prepare for the show. "If they ask who I am (in the show), I let them know and they get so excited. I could see them sitting in the front row at the show and they'll say, `That's who helped me make my tiara'." The Chicago native has been with Disney On Ice for 12 years and assisted in several princess parties, which he thinks helps in the recovery process. "Positive attitude and happiness is key to being healthy, events like these must do something for them, it has to." Four-year-old Cassandra, an Oakville native, first got involved with the Make-AWish Foundation when she was three, about a year after she was diagnosed with leukemia. Her wish was to meet princesses and see dolphins - so naturally a Disney Cruise was the best fit. "I went last year when my blood was sick," she explained as her nails were being painted her two favourite colours, pink and NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER PRINCESS MAKEOVER: Oakville's Cassie Lyons (above) gets her makeup done by Allison Thompson (fairy godmother in the show) during the Disney On Ice and Make-A-Wish You are a Princess Party. The young princess (below) practices blowing kisses with Cinderella. purple. "I met Cinderella, Jasmine, Belle, even Ariel! I think she had a dress-up tail on or something." She confided that Ariel from The Little Mermaid is her favourite of the Disney princess. Cassandra's mom Stacey says the family's experience with Make-A-Wish has been fantastic. The family is hopeful Cassandra will remain cancer-free."She had a lot of complications during her treatment," said Stacey, explaining that Cassandra developed epilepsy as a result of the chemotherapy. "Knock on wood, she has been really healthy. It will be two years in June that she's finished her treatment," she added, knocking on wood again. "All week we've had appointment after appointment. Earlier, we were at the hospital for a follow-up. So it's nice that she had something to look forward to." On the other side of the makeup station, Burlington's Rose Bonnar is familiar to the VIP treatment. The 11-year-old Glenview Elementary student was granted her wish in February 2008 with a $5,000 shopping spree at Burlington Mall. Rose can't quite pin down the best part of her experience. "I have a few favourites," she explains as stylist Shirley Walker pins wavy purple hair extensions into her chestnut-coloured locks. As Cyndi Wilkins watches her daughter get pampered up, she's reminded of the generosity Rose received from Burlington Mall and Make-A-Wish. "Different stores gave her lots of stuff...a necklace from Michael Hill, Jeweller, a Wii and Johnny Reid tickets, her favourite singer." Rose was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2005. That began a journey of rigorous treatments and therapy that lasted nearly two years. In 2007 Rose went into remission, and See Make page 23