Bring Hope Home with a Glimmer Doll!
Every child deserves to feel seen, strong, and celebrated—especially during the hardest moments. Through our signature doll program, Glimmer of Hope donates bald American Girl dolls to children impacted by cancer, bringing comfort, confidence, and joy when it’s needed most.
Applications are now open! Dolls are available to:
Children ages 1–18 currently in treatment for cancer, or within 6 months of completing treatment
Siblings of children who meet the above criteria
Bereaved siblings who have lost a brother or sister to cancer
Each child can choose:
A bald doll in one of four skin tones, or
A doll with hair, skin, and eye color preferences—and we’ll do our best to match their selection.
Please allow 4–6 weeks for delivery. Each doll is gifted with love, packed with care, and meant to remind children they’re not alone.
Glimmer of Hope Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization showing girls and boys their strength and beauty through the donation of bald dolls and providing HOPE to families battling childhood cancer.
The story of Glimmer of Hope wouldn’t exist without the story of a beautiful, radiant girl, Ella Integlia.
Ella Catherine Integlia made the sun shine brighter when she came into the world. She was an avid reader, often lost in the world of Harry Potter or any book of her choosing. Surrounded with many loving, loyal friends she was a social butterfly. Ella was caring and sensitive, hysterically crying at sad movies. She loved animals and babies, and fell in love with her first job as a mother’s helper and her honorary “big sister” role to her twin cousins.
Upon her diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the age of 11, Ella wrote a letter to American Girl asking them to create a bald doll, so that girls like her could feel confident, strong and courageous.
Ella lived by the motto “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” And dance in the rain she did. Ella courageously battled leukemia for two and a half years, finishing treatment on June 26th, 2018. She lived life fearlessly, visiting Ireland, spending time with friends, improving her makeup skills, and basking in the sun at Narragansett Beach.
In April of 2019, Ella relapsed. She spent the next four months fighting, awaiting a bone marrow transplant. Due to complications, Ella passed away on August 24th 2019, at the age of 14. She is forever loved, forever missed and forever shines bright.
When she got her bald doll she named the doll “Hope.” We are honored to carry on her legacy and her dream of every child battling cancer being gifted the bald doll through Glimmer of Hope Foundation.
No matter what the diagnosis we believe in cherishing every moment.
We believe girls are more than their hair and they aren’t alone!
Whether it’s a new diagnosis or a relapse, we will never forget you and your family.
To make the world a less scary place for children battling cancer, we sponsor and donate dolls and bald dolls to better help children feel represented and confident during their journey.
A magical day for a group of girls battling cancer. The Best Day Ever features: hair and makeup services, a gift basket, a catered lunch, crafts, a princess dress and a doll in a matching princess dress, followed by a professional photoshoot at a magical location!
To help heal a broken heart, we have created bereavement boxes for families we have served after their child has passed. We partner with Spencer Welch Studios to send watercolor portraits of each child as part of each box.
When our two-year-old was diagnosed with cancer on Father’s Day, life changed overnight. The Best Day Ever was a perfect escape for my now three-year-old princess, Mabel Breck, who calls the venue her “pink castle.” She was transformed into Princess Aurora by the kindest team, and her smile in the mirror was unforgettable. Since that magical day of dolls, tea parties, and fairytales, Mabel confidently struts through the hospital saying, “I am Princess Aurora.” Thank you for making her dream come true—it still feels like a fairytale. With love, Mandy (mom) and Princess Aurora (Mabel Breck)
Glimmer of Hope Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that shows girls and boys their strength and beauty through the donation of bald dolls and provides HOPE to families battling childhood cancer.
Glimmer of Hope Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity (federal tax ID #851607457). All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.
Alison Hornung, 25, is a passionate childhood cancer advocate and the former Miss Rhode Island 2024. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, she holds degrees in Global Business Management, German, and Human Development & Family Sciences. Her advocacy began at age 12, inspired by her honorary “little sister” Ella, who courageously battled leukemia for three years. Ella’s strength continues to drive Alison’s mission to bring comfort, hope, and tangible support to children and families facing cancer.
As the founder of the Glimmer of Hope Foundation, Alison has raised nearly $1 million to support childhood cancer awareness and holistic health initiatives. Her work has led her from local communities to national platforms, including speaking before Congress and serving on a panel at the White House for President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative.
Through Glimmer of Hope, she provides bald dolls to children undergoing treatment, empowers families with programming and resources, and champions legislation to fund pediatric cancer research. Alison’s efforts have made her a nationally recognized voice for change, and a tireless advocate for families navigating the unimaginable.
To connect with Alison or learn more, email
alison@
Treasurer
Debbie is a math teacher at Cranston High School West. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in math from the University of Rhode Island. She then went on and received her Master’s degree in Secondary School Counseling from The Citadel in Charleston, SC.
Debbie loves to spend time with her family. She is the wife of Gary Hornung and has two beautiful daughters, Ali and Brooke. She also enjoys traveling.
She became involved in Glimmer of Hope through her daughter Ali who is the founder and executive director. She is very proud of the work Ali has done to help pediatric cancer patients and their families. She is often behind the scenes doing whatever she can to support Ali and Glimmer of Hope.
Board President
Lisa Egan, 23, is a recent graduate of Simmons University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in Psychology, Political Science, and Law & Justice. Lisa began her journey with Glimmer of Hope in 2021 as an intern and now proudly serves as Board President.
Throughout her time with the foundation, Lisa has played a key role in fundraising and advocacy efforts; including pushing for increased childhood cancer research funding on Capitol Hill. Her leadership is rooted in compassion and action, forming meaningful bonds with families and uplifting children fighting cancer.
Lisa is deeply committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of both patients and their parents. With a heart full of purpose, and a lifelong love for Disney, she shares Ella’s light in everything she does.
To connect with Lisa, email
lisa@glimmerofhopefoundation.org.
Board Vice President
Reilly Cardella, 26, is a passionate childhood cancer advocate whose mission was born from personal loss. She was just 13 when her best friend, Kassie, passed away from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a life-changing moment that continues to guide her purpose.
Based in Orlando, Reilly proudly serves as the Board Vice President for the Glimmer of Hope Foundation. In 2020, she founded her own 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Love for Ladybug, through which she connected with Glimmer of Hope founder, Ali Hornung. Their shared commitment to honoring Kassie and Ella’s legacies has fueled a powerful friendship and a united front in the fight against pediatric cancer.
A former Miss Apopka 2024 in the Miss America Opportunity, Reilly used her platform to elevate childhood cancer awareness on a national scale. To date, she has raised over $15,000 and donated more than $9,000 worth of toys to pediatric oncology units. She has also lobbied on Capitol Hill for increased pediatric cancer funding while attending CureFest USA.
Lindsay Iadeluca has a deep passion for helping people in various capacities and working collaboratively to help them achieve their goals. She is dedicated to creating bonds that will last a lifetime within the communities she cares about, and she carries the lessons learned from these connections throughout all aspects of her life. Lindsay embraces challenges with confidence and determination. With an impressive social media following of nearly 60,000, she shares psychoeducational videos that promote the concept of beauty from the inside out. Currently, Lindsay serves as a development director for the American Heart Association, is a graduate student at Rhode Island College, and is a mental health counseling intern at a private practice in East Greenwich, RI.
Giada is a student at Catholic University of America pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Art and Design with a Minor in Marketing. She has a strong passion for nonprofit work and has dedicated her time to use her love for art and design to support children battling cancer through multiple clubs and organizations. Giada was the social media coordinator for her Student Visionaries of the Year campaign with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, where her team raised over $150,000 and won Rhode Island Student Visionaries of the Year. Giada was childhood friends with Ella, and has been inspired by her bright spirit and courageous heart ever since. When she first heard of Glimmer of Hope’s Junior Board, as a sophomore in high school, she immediately knew she wanted to apply, and has been working with Glimmer of Hope ever since. Giada has absolutely loved being part of the Glimmer of Hope team. She takes pride in using her creative talents to help spread hope and raise awareness for pediatric cancer. In her free time, Giada enjoys designing, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is honored to continue supporting Glimmer of Hope’s mission and keeping Ella’s legacy alive.
