Founder of 'Thank God Its Natural' hair product Chris-Tia Donaldson dies in Chicago at 42
CHICAGO - It was a story Chris-Tia Donaldson openly shared: her battle with breast cancer in 2015.
Donaldson even wrote a book about what the fight taught her. It was a battle she had won before.
"Chris-Tia did ask her close friends for privacy for the last couple of months of her life," said close friend and entrepreneur Farissa Knox.
The 42-year old passed away at her home in Chicago on November 13, 2021. The Harvard-educated lawyer decided to jump from the legal field into the beauty industry.
"She was that force, that woman that if she put her mind to it, she was going to do it," said Knox.
Donaldson created TGIN, Thank God Its Natural, a natural hair-care line. The shampoos, conditioners and more can be found on store shelves across the world.
In the US, the products can be found popularly in stores like Target, Walgreens and Ulta.
Donaldson made it a point to give back to other women battling cancer, especially in Chicago. The entrepreneur created the TGIN Foundation, supporting uninsured women battling breast cancer.
Part of TGIN’s mission says the company "empowers women to be the best version of themselves." That’s the legacy Donaldson's close friend says everyone should remember.
"Spend our time trying to figure out how we could be better for other people. How we can impact people’s life in a positive way?" said Knox.