Costumes For Courage

Costumes For Courage 501(c)(3) is a non-profit organization that provides costumes to children receiving chemotherapy treatment or facing significant medical challenges to give them strength and courage to get through whatever challenges they are facing. Our inspiration: Lilli was just 4 years old when she woke up one morning cross-eyed and seeing double. A few days later, she was diagnosed with an optic glioma, a brain tumor that was pressing on her optic nerve and growing quickly. Lilli’s only treatment option was chemotherapy to stop the growth of the tumor that, if left untreated, could result in blindness in her left eye. Lilli began her year of weekly chemotherapy treatments in February 2019. She chose to wear a yellow Belle Princess dress from Beauty and the Beast for her first appointment and was greeted with smiles and excitement about her dress. For 52 weeks, Lilli’s princess dresses became her suit of armor, giving her the courage to make it through the treatments and frequent trips to Children’s Hospital. The night before each appointment, Lilli spent time picking out the perfect dress to wear and did not repeat a dress once, which made every week a new surprise for the amazing care team at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Lilli's dresses were her way to share the “Princess joy” with everyone. Lilli’s dresses transformed a very tough situation for both her and her family into something something positive to look forward to. At Costumes for Courage, our goal is to continue to share the joy that Lilli’s dresses bring to other children and families in similar situations. Since launching Costumes for Courage in 2020, we are proud to say that we have shipped over 250 costumes to children all over the world. We also work with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Ronald McDonald House of Pittsburgh, and other local groups to bring costumes and special events to their patients and residents who miss out on so much during treatment.