Project Fire Buddies Holds Spa Day for Peotone Girl Amid Father’s Cancer Battle

By Stephanie Irvine

The Manhattan Chapter of Project Fire Buddies came through for a local Peotone girl, Dixie Mae Barclay, with the gift of a spa day, but the family needs help from the community now that Dixie’s dad and sole income provider for the family, Tony, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Dixie lives with myelomeningocele spina bifida, the most severe form of a rare congenital condition that affects the spinal cord. Additionally, Dixie suffers from hydrocephalus as a result of her condition. She currently is using a wheelchair, as she is unable to walk or stand without assistance. Despite her condition, Dixie is a happy child with a big personality who loves everything girly.

“She’s very resilient,” Dixie’s mom, Jess Barclay, explained.

To date, Dixie, who is just four years old, has undergone 13 surgeries, with eight of them for her hydrocephalus shunt and the other surgeries for her back – to help improve her daily quality of life.

“She’s in therapy four days a week, hopefully, to get her the strength and stamina to one day be able to walk for at least short periods. Spina bifida is different in every case, so we don’t know if that will ever be a possibility, but we are hopeful.”

As for how Jess Barclay is handling it all, she’s doing her best.

“It’s hard. It’s hard to be a caregiver for just Dixie and now adding my husband on to it. It is definitely a lot on my plate. It’s been really difficult. I’m a big advocate for therapy,” Jess said.

About Project Fire Buddies

Project Fire Buddies is a nonprofit organization that began in 2016 and is made up of nearly 100 fire department chapters throughout the state, whose goal is to bring joy to children struggling with critical illnesses. The Manhattan Fire Protection District Chapter began in October 2022 and has eight fire buddies, two of which, including Dixie, reside in the Peotone area.

“We were welcomed into the program last spring, and the amount of things they have done for Dixie has been incredible. Every time they come with something, it is always all out,” said Jess.

Monthly home visits and visits for special events, like birthdays and holidays, are often accompanied by a parade of emergency services vehicles flashing their lights and blaring their sirens, much to the delight and joy of the children.

The Project Fire Buddies Spa Day

Dixie’s Spa Day took place on March 29 at the Sloan Stevens Salon in Frankfort, where Dixie and her mom were greeted by the salon and spa staff, a Fire Buddies team with presents and a balloon arch, as well as Monica Ochoa, the 2022 Miss America winner and current Ms. Chicago beauty queen, who brought gifts of her own for Dixie.

The spa days are organized by Project Fire Buddies to give children a reprieve from dealing with their medical treatments.

“Our estheticians at Skyn Medspa did facials, and they had their hair washed and styled by stylists at Sloan Stevens,” said Ciara Goworowski of Skyn Medical Spa.

Gorowski explained that after pampering and primping, Dixie and her mom were brought to the American Girl Doll store in Chicago, where Dixie was able to get her first American Girl Doll. Project Fire Buddies donated the experience, gifts, and transportation in a luxury SUV and driver.

Goworowski’s husband and a stylist from Sloan Stevens are heavily involved in Project Fire Buddies. When Gorowski learned from Jackie O’Hara of the Manhattan Chapter that Project Fire Buddies wanted to do a spa day for Dixie, Goworowski approached the salon and spa owners, who were both on board with the idea.

“We loved having them, and we would love to have any other fire buddies who want to feel pampered. The owners of Sloan Stevens and Skyn Medspa feel the exact same way. Anything we can do to help, we want to do it,” Gorowski replied.

Dixie even got the chance to play with makeup and give one of the firefighters in attendance a makeover.

“Just seeing Dixie and her mom so happy really made the day so special,” said O’Hara.

O’Hara has a unique role with the Fire Buddies chapter, as she is part of the administrative staff for the department. She explained that planning the spa days for the fire buddies has become one of her favorite things to do.

“It’s hard to describe in words how special the bond is between all of us,” O’Hara noted.

Dixie’s dedicated Fire Buddy, firefighter John Slattery, explained he thought Project Fire Buddies presented a great opportunity to get involved to be a part of something bigger.

“Bringing joy to these families has been a humbling and rewarding experience to say the least,” said Slattery.

The attention that Project Fire Buddies gives hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“They are an incredible organization for what they do for the kids and us, our family. I have an 11-year-old son, and they always bring him a little something, too. Which I think is so great so he doesn’t feel left out,” said Barclay.

“It’s Been a Tough Year”

The Barclays have had their share of hardship with Dixie’s medical condition alone, but when Dixie’s father started experiencing back pain, he found himself at the doctor’s office. In December 2023, Tony was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer, an incurable, terminal bone marrow cancer for which he currently is undergoing treatment.

“It’s been a tough year,” said Jess.  “My husband is our sole income. I stay home to take care of Dixie.”

She explained that although Tony’s job as a carpenter is secure through FMLA, he doesn’t get paid when he has to take time off for doctor’s visits or when he is undergoing chemo.

In June, Tony will be admitted to the hospital for three weeks for a stem cell transplant with the hope of regrowing his bone marrow but without the cancer cells. While Tony is in the hospital undergoing treatment, he won’t be paid, but the medical bills will continue to accrue.

“It’s been difficult,” Jess admitted reluctantly. She explained that just like most insurance policies, their insurance will pay a portion of the treatments for Dixie and Tony, but only after they hit their out-of-pocket max. Dixie has already hit her out-of-pocket max, and Tony is sure to follow.

“We’re trying to plan ahead,” Barclay said. But it was clear planning ahead would be difficult as the medical bills from Dixie’s care are significant on their own. “We already have a ton of outstanding medical debt. It’s just more at this point.”

Tony’s sister launched a Go Fund Me to help offset costs.

Throughout the conversation, one thing was certain: The gratitude from the Barclay family was clear with nearly every comment.

“We are grateful to have the support of Project Fire Buddies, our family, and friends, because without all of these entities we really would not be able to get through everything we have been through. We are so grateful to have good people in our corner rooting us on to be there for Dixie and my husband.”

If you’d like to donate to the GoFundMe that was set up to help with mounting medical bills from Dixie and Tony’s treatments, please visit: www.gofundme.com/f/tonys-fight-against-multiple-myleoma-cancer.

Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.

Dixie enjoyed all her spoils. Photo submitted.

Dixie’s mom, Jess, was treated to a spa day too. Photo submitted.