Tell us about yourself

My name is Alison Maccherone Gomez but Ali for short. I’m 24 years old and I’m from Wilmington, NC. I joined the US Navy at age 19 but shortly after was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I am now a two-time cancer survivor and have been in remission for 3 years now. I love traveling, nature, acting and modeling.

What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream is to be an actress/model. I realized that life is short so if you have a dream, don’t let it stay a dream, you need to go out and make it happen.

What does it mean to be your own kind of beautiful? 

I think being your own kind of beautiful is being yourself. You have to find confidence and strength in yourself. Let that radiate off you and honestly that will allow others around you feel that positivity.

Tell us about your modeling experience. 

I worked on a wedding themed shoot for Reed’s Jewelers in 2017.  I was in a fashion show for Southeastern Cancer Care where they have a Fashion Show Fundraiser to raise money for cancer patients (last year they raised $41,000!! Woo woo!).

What is your dream brand to model for?

I would love to model for forever 21 and Victoria’s secret. I love representing brands that I feel passionate about.

How would you describe your fashion style?

You will probably catch me in leggings 80% of the time. I love something that can be comfortable but trendy. Some days you’ll see me in holy jeans with a tshirt and vans but other days you can catch me in a maxi dress. I guess you can say I’m pretty versatile :P

How important is self-awareness and confidence to you in your everyday life?

Confidence is huge. Having confidence will change the way others look at you and especially how you look at yourself.

What makes you beautiful?

For me, I have scars on my chest from surgeries I had during my time with cancer. I used to have problems with accepting them and seeing them as anything beautiful but I learned to embrace them and know that they contribute to what makes me beautiful. They show the world what I’ve been through and that you can still be beautiful without being “perfect”.

What would you say to another girl your age who is struggling with their confidence?

If you’re struggling with confidence, know at some point.. we ALL did. I don’t think confidence just comes to you over night, it’s definitely something you have to work toward. I’ve struggled with it in the past and the most important thing is to know that YOU ARE ENOUGH.