MANILA, Philippines – Singer, songwriter, host and alopecia awareness advocate Abby Asistio was the only Filipina among 20 handpicked Facebook users from Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Germany, the US and the Philippines who recently had the privilege of meeting and sharing stories with chief executive and co-founder of the social networking website, Facebook Mark Zuckerberg. Mark shared the purpose, mission and desire of the organization to use Facebook to connect people and make this world a better place. Abby shared her own story. She was among the six who were given the chance to speak during the special whole-day event.
From over 1.64 billion subscribers, Abby was chosen as one of about 20 invitees to Facebook’s “Friends’ Day” in celebration of its 12th anniversary. The chosen Facebook friends were treated to a special sharing session with the Facebook founder as well as COO Sheryl Sandberg. Abby was flown in from the Philippines by Facebook because of her compelling journey with the auto-immune disease, Alopecia Areata.
A fellow advocate, Rachel Regal, of Faith, US, sent her story to the Facebook team. Rachel was so depressed, but the story of Abby, which she found online, and the song Beautiful inspired her to start a friendship with Abby. Their friendship was sealed and Facebook documented their first meeting in July 2015, created a story and posted it on their Facebook Stories page in October of the same year: https://www.facebook.com/FacebookStoriesEnglish/videos/vb.300332947672289/1020439104667/?type=2&theater.
Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management, Inc., Abby’s representative, has been given clearance to release her exclusive photo with Mark and Rachel which was taken on Feb. 1 in the US at the Facebook compound in Northern California, US. Mark, Rachel and Abby made the Alopecia Aerata hand sign which Abby created for the #alopeciaawarenesscampaign in September 2012.