TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Kiki’s Haus, a newly established nonprofit in Tucson, is making a significant impact by providing free hair services to youth and young adults dealing with hair loss due to illness.
The initiative was inspired by hairstylist Kendra Dinius after her friend Melissa Nino’s daughter, Valentina Ramirez, was diagnosed with T-Cell Leukemia, a rare form of the disease, two years ago. Ramirez’s immediate concern was, “Am I going to lose my hair?”
Dinius, a close friend of the family, quickly stepped in to help. She braided purple strands into Ramirez’s hair to help it stay intact for as long as possible.
“Everyone recognized her for those purple braids during the first four weeks we were in the hospital,” Nino recalled.
However, as Ramirez began treatment, she lost her hair within a week, and it didn’t start growing back for a year.
“This has been the hardest thing I’ve had to face as a mother,” Nino shared. “But Kendra made it so much better for her.”
Despite being a hairstylist herself, Nino admitted she lacked the skills to do braids or extensions. “Losing my hair was much harder than I expected,” Ramirez added.
Witnessing Ramirez’s struggle and facing her own diagnosis of Parkinson’s in 2020, Dinius decided to explore new ways to support children experiencing similar challenges.
This led to the creation of Kiki’s Haus.
“It changed my career path and my focus,” Dinius said. “I was so focused on where my career was going, but when that happened, it served as a wake-up call.”
Reflecting on her future, Dinius realized that helping kids brought her true happiness.
“I love my job, and I love making people feel good about themselves. That’s how Kiki’s Haus came to be,” Dinius explained.
Since launching services through Kiki’s Haus in May, Dinius has seen a growing demand, with three to four clients each week.
She has worked with children as young as 6 years old and is now developing custom wigs designed for smaller heads.
“These wigs don’t fit perfectly out of the box,” Dinius said. “We have to make many adjustments to ensure they fit well, so these kids can leave feeling confident.”
But Dinius doesn’t just provide wigs—she also educates families on how to care for them.
“I want to teach these families how to take care of the wig, how to apply it properly,” Dinius emphasized. “That’s what really sets us apart from other charities and nonprofits—we do all of that.”
In addition to wig services, Kiki’s Haus offers other beauty treatments such as head shaves, brow tinting, lash extensions, nail services, and facials.
“Anything to make them feel good on that day because it’s a very emotional experience,” Dinius said.
For Valentina, who now has hair extensions, the services at Kiki’s Haus have restored her confidence as the new school year approaches.
“Going back to school with new hair has made me feel normal again, like I fit in,” Ramirez said. “I don’t have to worry about how I look anymore.”
Quality wigs can be expensive, costing hundreds to thousands of dollars, Dinius noted. To meet the growing need, Kiki’s Haus is seeking donations.