If the video of young cancer patients and their parents discussing their personal challenges didn't get to you, then surely the fashion parade of bold and beautiful Texas Children's Cancer Center patients surely did. At some point during the annual "Celebration of Champions" benefit luncheon at the Omni Houston Hotel just about everyone shed a tear.
Such was the beauty of the luncheon that each year spotlights generous community leaders and provides an opportunity for Texas Children's cancer patients to have a ball in their new fashions from Dillard's as they stroll the lengthy catwalk. The youngsters got to enjoy their moment in the spotlight twice with an up-and-down and up-and-down again parade with their high-profile escorts.
Kevin Kline, 93Q Morning Zoo, reprised his role as luncheon emcee, congratulating founding chairs Scott Basinger, Elsie Eckert, Sidney Faust and Judi McGee.
It was a long list of community champions this year — Denise and Philip Bahr, Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia, Greggory and Pat Burk, Dr. Kelli Cohen Fein and Martin Fein, Melanie Lawson and John Guess Jr., Lisa and Michael Holthouse, Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron, Cora Sue and Harry Mach, Sybil Roos and her daughters (Ginger Bertrand, Cathey Cook and Betsy Garlinger), Anita Smith and son Jackson Smith and Judy and Glenn Smith.
For the record, the ladies paraded in fashions from Tootsies and the gents made their fashionable strides in ensembles from M Penner.
Joining in the heartfelt program were Texas Children's Cancer Center director Dr. David Poplack and Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, medical director of the center's long-term survivor program. Dreyer recognized the Periwinkle Foundation as Torch of Champions honoree.
