Don乌鸦传媒檛 be afraid to be yourself.

That乌鸦传媒檚 the message Lake Country residents Makayla Krenzel and her mother, Becky, are sharing.

When Makayla was two, she was diagnosed with the auto-immune disease Alopecia Areata, which caused her to lose her hair.

Now, the Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School student is a Canadian Alopecia Areata Ambassador, spreading awareness for the disease.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a very self-conscious thing. We identify ourselves with the way we look,乌鸦传媒� said Becky.

But it didn乌鸦传媒檛 stop Makayla from being herself. She乌鸦传媒檚 an active dancer and refuses to wear a wig.

She finds them itchy, she said, and will be dancing bald in her upcoming solo performance with the Lake Country School of Dance in Vancouver Feb. 10 and 11.

The dance studio wanted Makayla to wear a wig, but she refused.

The company Liberty and Grace is donating wigs for the performers, so Makayla agreed to wear one if the other girls did, said Becky.

乌鸦传媒淪he said 乌鸦传媒榤om I don乌鸦传媒檛 like the way they feel. This is the way I am mom, why would I change?乌鸦传媒� I think that乌鸦传媒檚 the biggest thing, I think she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 feel comfortable,乌鸦传媒� said Becky.

The competition is called Velocity, and she will have the opportunity to perform in Las Vegas if she makes it to the next round.

The 10-year-old is also trying out for Team Canada, which will be performing in Germany.

Becky said it乌鸦传媒檚 good for Makayla to experience the world.

乌鸦传媒淟iving in Kelowna you乌鸦传媒檙e kind of in a bubble乌鸦传媒� (when) you乌鸦传媒檙e out of your element you realize how many people are looking at you, so with Team Canada (it was a big step for her.)乌鸦传媒�

Makayla won乌鸦传媒檛 see if she made the team until the end of February.

But, with the help of friends and family, she holds her head with pride.

乌鸦传媒淚 have good support,乌鸦传媒� said Makayla.

Her younger sister Cruz, will joke with her and tell her to do her hair in the morning.

While Makayla isn乌鸦传媒檛 bullied, she finds it irritating when people want to touch her head, she said.

Becky is a also an Alopecia Areata group support leader in the Okanagan after she realized there weren乌鸦传媒檛 support groups.

乌鸦传媒淧eople look at her and (assume) she乌鸦传媒檚 got cancer,乌鸦传媒� said Becky, aiming to provide support for people with similar cases like Makayla乌鸦传媒檚.

Becky plans to hold a support group in March at the Rutland Library.

To follow Makayla乌鸦传媒檚 journey find her on , and .

See about Makayla.