THE HEART BEHIND HAIR DREAMS
A Personal Story That Became a Mission of Hope.
WHO WE ARE
Where Personalized Hair Solutions Meet Compassionate Care.
Hair Dreams by Christal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and adults experiencing hair loss access personalized, non-surgical hair replacement systems and wigs. We support individuals affected by cancer treatment, alopecia, lupus, burns, trichotillomania, hereditary hair loss, medication side effects and other conditions that may cause temporary or permanent hair loss.
When funding is available, Hair Dreams helps provide these solutions at little to no cost for individuals and families who may not otherwise be able to afford them. Our mission is about more than replacing hair. It is about helping each person feel seen, supported and confident as they navigate an experience that can deeply affect identity, self-image and emotional well-being.
At the heart of Hair Dreams is a simple belief:
Everyone deserves the opportunity to look in the mirror and feel like themselves again.
And at the heart of that beginning was Dena...
HOW IT ALL BEGAN:
A Sister’s Experience Inspired a Greater Purpose.
Long before Hair Dreams became a nonprofit, Christal Mercier had already spent years helping people feel confident through the art and expertise of hair. But when her sister, Timothy “Dena” McDade, experienced severe hair loss following chemical burns, the work became deeply personal.
Dena struggled to find a hair replacement option that looked and felt natural. Determined to help her sister feel more like herself again, Christal began exploring hair replacement techniques and developing solutions that offered the beauty, comfort and confidence Dena was searching for. What began as one sister helping another revealed a much greater need.
In 2008, that experience became the foundation for Hair Dreams by Christal. Christal created the organization so that others facing hair loss could have access to the same level of personalized care, expertise and compassion, regardless of their financial circumstances.
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE MISSION
A Life of Beauty, Strength and Lasting Influence
Timothy “Dena” McDade
DENA WITH
BEVERLY JOHNSON
& MUHAMMAD ALI
Timothy “Dena” McDade lived a vibrant life marked by beauty, style and accomplishment. A successful model, Dena graced the runway as part of the legendary Ebony Fashion Fair and Hair Dreams’ history recognizes her as the first African American to model Jordache Jeans on a billboard in New York. A longtime friend also remembered celebrating Dena’s success as a Calvin Klein model and going with her to collect copies of The New York Times that featured her Calvin Klein photographs.
For a woman whose image had been celebrated so publicly, the experience of significant hair loss became deeply personal. Chemical burns to Dena’s scalp caused severe hair loss that affected her confidence and left her increasingly self-conscious. She became uncomfortable allowing even those closest to her to see her without hair. When an expensive hair replacement system failed to give her the natural appearance she hoped for, Christal became determined to find a better way.
Beautiful inside and out. Vibrant, stylish & unforgettable.
Christal committed herself to learning and perfecting hair replacement techniques that could give Dena a result that looked and felt more natural. When Dena began to feel like herself again, Christal saw firsthand just how powerful the right hair solution could be. Later, as Dena faced breast cancer, that experience deepened Christal’s desire to make the same care available to others navigating hair loss.
Dena passed away in 2009, but her influence remains woven into every part of Hair Dreams by Christal. What began as one sister’s desire to help another became a lasting legacy of compassion, dignity and care for people who deserve to look in the mirror and recognize themselves again.
Licensed Cosmetologist
Certified Hair Replacement Specialist
Custom Wig Specialist
Accredited Member, American Hair Loss Council
MERCIER
MEET OUR FOUNDER
Expertise, Compassion and a Calling to Serve.
That same spirit of care guides her leadership of Hair Dreams by Christal. After witnessing her sister Dena’s experience with severe hair loss, Christal committed herself to mastering more natural-looking hair replacement techniques. In 2008, she transformed that deeply personal experience into Hair Dreams by Christal, creating a nonprofit dedicated to helping others regain confidence, self-esteem and a sense of wholeness through personalized hair replacement support.
Today, Christal brings together decades of hands-on expertise, entrepreneurship and compassionate service as President and Founder of Hair Dreams by Christal. At the heart of her work is a belief she has carried throughout her career: the true essence of being a stylist is having the opportunity to help someone discover their beauty.
In 1990, Christal opened Hair by Christal in Missouri City, Texas. What began with natural talent and an entrepreneurial spirit grew into an established salon known for innovative braiding, weaving, extensions and hair replacement systems. Over the years, her work has attracted clients from across the United States while allowing Christal to continually expand her expertise and the ways she serves people through hair.
IN their OWN WORDS
“I have been receiving Hair By Christal’s services for over 10 years and have been very pleased with her many hairstyles and services. She always accommodates me, even during my emergencies. I trust her judgment and know you will too.”
- Gloria A.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
MORE THAN HAIR
That belief shapes the way Christal works with clients and the community she has built around Hair Dreams. Alongside personalized hair replacement solutions, she encourages honesty, self-acceptance, connection and the freedom to make choices that help each person feel comfortable and confident in their own journey.
Healing Begins With How You See Yourself.
christal's h.a.i.r.l.o.s.s. affirmation
H
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making every strand count.
THE MISSION IN ACTION
Care That Reaches Beyond the Salon Chair.
Hair Dreams by Christal turns compassion into action by helping individuals experiencing hair loss access personalized, non-surgical hair replacement solutions with dignity, privacy and care. Every consultation begins with listening, understanding the individual’s needs and helping them find a solution that feels natural, comfortable and uniquely their own.
For clients and families facing the financial burden that can come with hair loss, Hair Dreams works to make these solutions more accessible when funding is available. The goal is not simply to provide a wig or hair system. It is to help someone feel more confident, more comfortable and more like themselves as they move through an often deeply personal experience.
That work is strengthened by the people and organizations who believe in the mission. Donors, sponsors, community partners, referral sources and advocates all play a role in helping Hair Dreams reach more individuals and continue offering compassionate support to those who need it.
thank you to our sponsors & partners
Every act of support helps make personalized hair loss care possible for someone who may not otherwise have access to it.
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Hair Dreams by Christal was built from a deeply personal experience, but its purpose continues through every individual who finds renewed confidence and every supporter who helps make that care possible.
Whether you are navigating hair loss yourself or looking for a meaningful way to support others, there is a place for you in the Hair Dreams story.
BE PART OF WHAT COMES NEXT
The Story Continues With Every Person We Serve and Every Person Who Supports the Mission.
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Your support helps Hair Dreams continue providing compassionate hair replacement care to individuals and families who may not otherwise have access to it.
Every hair loss journey is different. Hair Dreams takes the time to understand your needs, preferences and comfort level so you can explore a personalized solution that feels right for you.
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