Teen best friends enjoy carefree night at Kaiser's Pediatric Prom
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Newly proclaimed best friends Zorah Cohen and Ashley Gallagher shared a glamorous girls' night out, as the pair laughed and danced the night away at the Kaiser Pediatric Prom.
The girls, both 14, who met earlier this summer at a diabetes camp, share an unbreakable bond.
They were both diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when they were 10 years old, and have had to face a set of unique challenges ever since those fateful days.
Ashley was diagnosed first. In the beginning doctors thought it was cancer, but she later learned of her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. "I got really sick and I had no clue what diabetes was. Just never heard anything about it before and like it was a big change in my life," she recalls.
In Zorah's case, doctors estimated she had Type 1 diabetes for about 10 months before she was diagnosed. At the time of her diagnosis she weighed just 52 pounds, when she should have been closer to 100.
"I was really sick... I stopped eating. I had a very high level of ketoacidosis or just ketones for short, which is when your body is like, 'I don't know what's going on something is messed up.' And it starts producing this acid and it sits in your organs and breaks down muscle and fat," she explained.
Ashley says, "of course Diabetes isn't a good thing to have," but she sees a silver lining in the friendships she's made. Finding someone like Zorah - who she says is like a sister - gives her a sense of community.
The pair instantly clicked sharing similar interests and even family backgrounds. Ashley acknowledges their personalities are different saying, "It's cheesy but opposites attract and we became really close friends."
The best friends were excited about the prom and were looking forward to dancing. "We took a bunch of photos - we're going to take more. She wants to dance." said Ashley. "Dancing all night long, I'm so excited. I love dancing," laughed Zorah.
The girls arrived at the hospital around noon and tried on six dresses each before committing. They said finding dresses that work with their medical devices can be a challenge, so they were grateful to have options.
With Zorah in black and Ashely in white they decided they looked like a devil and angel so they used that for their makeup inspiration. Zorah opted for a smokey look, while Ashley chose a more natural, peachy look. The self-proclaimed "prom dates" also picked matching corsages.
The girls appreciated every minute of the extravagant evening. Zorah says her family doesn't have a lot of money and she knows the makeup, photos and gorgeous dresses would be expensive. "An hour on the hair and an hour on the makeup and these gorgeous dresses - free. Free dinner, free games, pictures, I haven't paid a cent this entire day and I have a family who doesn't have a lot of money. And money has always been a really tough thing for us. So going to events like these." She laughed adding, "Trust me, we don't wake up looking like this."
Zorah says for her last school dance she showed up in what she wore to school that day, while all the other girls were in dresses with their hair and makeup professionally done. "It was jeans and a Metallica T-shirt because I didn't have the resources to go out and do that," she said.
Ashley chimed in saying she had to stay home from her last dance because of a major medical issue. "Both of our families have struggled with money and it's amazing to have the space... they help take care of your medical stuff... And so it's cool to be able to go to an event like this."
Rita Ng, Physician and Chief at Kaiser Permanente tells KTVU the prom started about four years ago. It was a combined effort of community members and restaurants who wanted to find a way to thank the hospital for the type of care they provide for their kids. Doctors and the hospital staff thought a pediatric prom would be a great way to give a life experience to teens who might not otherwise be able to attend their own proms. "Most importantly, just like a real prom - parents aren't allowed on the dance floor," said Ng.
The teens also appreciated the night, because they knew they wouldn't be approached with what they call "weird questions" about diabetes. "You would not believe some of the questions I've gotten. It's not OK.... or when people randomly come up and start pulling on our IVs and are like 'What's this?' And I'm like, 'Do not touch me sir,'" explained Zorah.
They called the Pediatric Prom a safe space.