Fashion Hero Website and Registration to Launch! PageantLIVE Hosts a Special Presentation

--Wendy Lindberg, America's SUPER Queen   @SUPERqueenWendy

"It's practically universal. Girls discover their own beauty at a young age, and many dream of becoming models," says the official YouTube teaser, "but not every girl can be a super model."  

But that is the mission of The Fashion Hero, a new website and television project, launching November 14th, 2013. 

This is where Sheree' Walcher, Chelsea St.Pierre, Susan Hoover, and Ava St.Pierre Cogburn join PageantLIVE to talk about their big project and launch of:

Not the Usual Supermodel

"I think in a nutshell as well, it really opens an avenue to help everyone's dream come true, that may not have thought that they had an opportunity in the fashion industry," said Chelsea. 

"I think some new doors will be opening for people, especially like Susan and myself, who are short." Sheree' added. "I modeled as a child with my mom in fashion shows for JC Penny and large department stores. As I got older, I was told I was too short to model. So this will be a great opportunity for people of every race, color, or size. It doesn't matter. Everyone can participate and register for The Fashion Hero."

The Fashion Hero has an official teaser on YouTube that seems to sum it up pretty well. You can watch it below.

Roll the Cameras 

Some of the filming of the show has already begun, but the finale is preparing for next fall and will be shot at the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa in Mexico, who is also a sponsor of the program. "A panel of judges will be picking who will be going on to the finale in Mexico," Ava shared. "There is (also) a panel of judges that will follow the website as well as the companies that will be also sponsoring and are a part of The Fashion Hero TV show and series. They will be following the website. Each and every person, male and female, that goes onto the website will have the opportunity to go ahead and have their own page on the website. Once they do that they will be able to have their bios, career goals, pictures..."

The excitement of The Fashion Hero grew as Chelsea shared that the events and program will be not just national, but international.

The Events and Website

"We will be posting all of our events on The Fashion Hero website," Ava told PageantLIVE interviewer, Stephanie McGrane.

"And we ask that you keep checking," Susan recommended, "because every time we go to an event, we are going to have the opportunity to meet so many fascinating new people and new friends. We will be updating the events. We will have all the events we can possibly have."

"We have a team busy working on the website launch.... so do please check back," Sheree' added.

You can also find The Fashion Hero on other social media sights. "you can find us on Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

You can see the website here as it prepares for its official launch November 14th:

The Fashion Hero Website

With Thanks

As the team begins work for the events and tours, there were a few people and brands (companies) they wanted to thanks for a lot of the initial work and sponsorship being put into the program.


The Founder and CEO, Caroline Bernier "(She) brought this concept to all of us to see and have a vision of what fashion and beauty should really be about." Ava Shared. "I also want to thank everyone (on the team in Canada) for bringing us in on this side to help out."

Some of the sponsors being added to the program are: 

Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa in Mexico

MEXX 

Planet Beach

Tocara Canada

Style SO Original

Laboratoire Dr Renaud

and Elle Sunglasses


To see the full interview, and celebration of the launch (coming Novemeber 14th), check it out here!

PageantLIVE presents The Fashion Hero

Julie Lee Smith -- Ms. Missouri Classic Beauty Ask the Crown (Ep 15)

--Wendy Lindberg, America's SUPER Queen 2013-14

What a great PageantLIVE/Ask the Crown program to be sharing in October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

PageantLIVE hosted the very energetic and wonderful Julie Lee Smith- Ms Missouri Classic Beauty on October 21st, 2013 as she joined Stephanie McGrane in a show featuring her journey as a breast cancer patient and survivor.

Many people who get their yearly exams and physicals don't anticipate the kind of whirl wind of events that happened when Julie made it to her July appointment. Only anticipating the usual hour or so in the doctor's office, she was surprised to find herself still in the doctor's office, 6 hours later, going through the gauntlet of tests for the abnormalities picked up in her usual testing.



Growing technologies in breast cancer research

Julie had a 3D mammogram as a part of her diagnosis process. She talked to Stephanie and the viewers about the benefits this test had for her and the benefits it can have for women 50 and older. She says that she believes that this new technology is what has helped save her life. With only about 300 clinics in the US having the technology in their hospitals, Julie says it is very new and may be hard to get with your insurance etc, but is very worth looking into if you are faced with the need to have one done. 

As Julie had suggested, I looked up a little information on breast tomosynthesis.  

www.ahchealthnews.com reported some of the benefits of a 3D mammogram include:

1)    More accurate detection 

2)    Earlier diagnosis 

3)    Better detection in dense breast tissue

4)    Less Anxiety

5)    Safe and Effective

Be your own advocate!

Julie highlighted the importance of being your own advocate for your own care and to know what your insurance policies cover before you head into treatment and surgery. 

"If they (the insurance companies) can get by without having to put you up in the hospital, they will do it. And so many things were running through my mind." Julie said, ".... so many questions, and I was so relieved to had thought to look all that up before I had gone into the hospital."  "Definitely look at your policies if you have to have surgery." 

Mutation of BRCA1 and BRCA2, AKA: the "cancer gene"

Julie had also found out in the process of her testing that she had the "cancer gene", a series of mutations of tumor suppressor proteins that gave her an estimate that with her genetic testing and family history, that she has a 87% chance of getting breast cancer. 

www.cancer.gov says, "About 12 percent of women in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives. By contrast, according to the most recent estimates, 55 to 65 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation and around 45 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by age 70 years."

"I was just doomed to get it. ... Those are horrible Las Vegas odds!"  Julie joked, "My parents always said I was special!" 

But Julie also warned that when you are considering getting tested for the "cancer gene" you should be sure you already have a life insurance policy. "Once you get tested a lot of life insurance policies will not cover you or accept you once they know you have that (gene)," she warned.

The BIG message

Julie wanted to really stress the importance of getting your regular mammogram and your monthly self exam. "I know mammograms hurt, but it hurts worse to know that you have cancer and you couldn't have done something about it. ... If I had skipped it (the exam) I wouldn't be here now." Julie went on to say, "you can go (to get your test) on an event like your anniversary, or something like that, so it is easy to remember."

Pageantry with recovery

Her nurses often call her "Queen Chemo". Julie wears her crown and sash to many of her treatments. 

She has found that the camaraderie and friendships that she has found in her pageant sisters has lead her to the people that she leans on a lot to help encourage her through treatment. "I have never seen such a support system in my entire life," is what her doctor told her when he saw her Facebook page with all of her pageant friends helping and supporting her. 

"I am so glad to be a part of something that has a meaning and a cause and that will help others. I like doing those charity events, runs/walks and fashion shows. ... getting out there and helping others," Julie observed "... People seem to stop and listen when there is a title behind it."

You can follow Julie on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/julie.l.smith.1272?fref=ts 

See the interview here: