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Whitney Lawson almost has it "Made."

On Friday, Aug. 1, the soon-to-be Fairfield High School senior will end her multiweek transformation from self-proclaimed "theater geek" to figure skater sheik.

Lawson will be one of the students on MTV's transformation show "Made," where youths attempt to fulfill their dreams. Lawson's desire is to fulfill, in a way, the dream her mother had for her — to be a figure skater.

"Skating was something that I enjoyed with my mother, as well as my family," Lawson said. "When I was little, birthday parties were usually at ice skating rinks."

The love of ice skating came from her mom, Deborah, who died of breast cancer in 2001 when Lawson was 10.

But as the cancer progressed, Lawson said it was more difficult to attend skating events so the family began to start sitting on her mom's bed to watch skating on TV.

Lawson's dad, John, said her mom "would be very proud. She loved ice skating and was where Whitney got her love."

Lawson officially found out she was going to be on "Made" after she passed a physical, although some preliminary video was shot of her prior to that. Lawson's six-week training began June 30.

Friday will be the culmination of her work when she skates in the Queen City Invitational Skating Competition to raise money for breast cancer at Northland Ice Center in Evendale.

'A life-changing experience'

Outside of falling pains and learning ice can be harder then cement, Lawson said she learned she is a mentally stronger person.

"There had been times where I was like, 'This is so hard. I don't know if I'll be able to do it,' " Lawson said. "Continuing for so long through six weeks and not quitting such intense training, I figure I'm a stronger person than I was and that is a good thing going out into the real world."

This confidence is something Lawson, who will be a junior at Miami University in Oxford when she graduates high school, hopes will help her when she goes to medical school at the University of Cincinnati after college.

"I think it has been a positive experience for her," John Lawson said. It's given her an opportunity to take her volunteerism to a new level."

Lawson has always volunteered with organizations within Fairfield, such as with Interact (Fairfield Rotary's high school club) and the Reds Rookie Success League of Butler County.

"To her, it was more important she use it as an opportunity to raise money for breast cancer research in hopes that some other girl won't have to grow up as a motherless daughter," John Lawson said.

MTV officials did not return calls seeking comment, but the Lawsons said the episode is scheduled to air in October to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.