How Children’s Cancer Fund is Making A Difference in Dallas

This article is promoted/partner content and not produced by the editorial staff.

On April 11, local nonprofit Children’s Cancer Fund will host its 35th Anniversary Gala and Fashion Show. Honorary Chairs Troy Aikman and Dak Prescott and Gala Chairs Lori Jones and Meredith Land are leading this incredible, star-studded event filled with ritz, glitz, and glam as pediatric patients walk the runway alongside their celebrity escorts at the Hilton Anatole.

But it’s so much more than an evening full of sips, bites, and auctions. The crux of the event is raising much-needed funds for the nonprofit that funds so many critical advances and research for improving the lives of pediatric cancer patients — and the people who love them. 

Let’s take a look at Children’s Cancer Fund’s investments and how they’re making a difference for so many in North Texas at a time when they need it the most.

Research and Science

Children’s Cancer Fund invests heavily in clinical research and science, finding specific research studies and supporting pediatric hematology/oncology fellows and faculty members at UT Southwestern. The goal is to develop better treatments and reduce the incidence of pediatric cancer, as well as the effects of radiation and other treatments on our children. Children’s Cancer Fund works closely with doctors and scientists at the Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Health and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas to fund innovative research that has led to better treatments and outcomes for kids battling cancer. To date, the Children’s Cancer Fund has funded over 100 pediatric oncology research projects associated with Children’s Health and UT Southwestern.

Improving Patient Care

Funding also goes towards improving patient care in the Gill Center at Children’s Health through key investments in the Child Life program and more, including support for Child Life Specialists. Child Life Specialists assist children in coping with their illness and stressful treatments and also invest in equipment, toys, games, art supplies, and other items for patient entertainment and distraction.

A new cancer diagnosis and impending unknowns throw an entire family into crisis. Whether it’s the young patient, siblings, or parents, there is much to consider in this life- and family-altering diagnosis. Adjusting to illness, coping with stressful treatments, and enduring long hospital stays are key components to a young patient’s recovery rate and the entire family’s illness experience. Children’s Cancer Fund invests in services such as pet therapy, social work, art therapy, music therapy, and child life services, allowing trained professionals to come alongside patients and family members to promote growth and development through the expression of thoughts and emotions.

Children’s Cancer Fund’s Gala Patient and Family Experience

Last but not least, funding goes towards Children’s Cancer Fund’s Gala patient and family experience. Each year, approximately 20 pediatric oncology patients, ages 6 to 17, participate in Children’s Cancer Fund’s flagship fundraiser: an annual fashion show and gala. The patients are the stars of the night at the fashion show, being cheered on by attendees as they walk the runway, showcasing their bravery and style. 

In anticipation of the evening, these young patients participate in a year-long program, providing them fun opportunities to engage with each other and allowing for community-building with both patients and families. Cancer can be an isolating experience, often requiring patients to withdraw from school, skip birthday parties, and miss out on many of the normal activities of childhood,” says Jennifer Arthur, Children’s Cancer Fund’s CEO. The gala patient experience allows families to offer support to one another and safely participate in activities such as interactive shopping events to pick out their runway outfits, a photo shoot, group art projects, holiday gift deliveries, parties, and more. Allowing for a distraction from the stressful and often painful cancer treatments, this experience is a bright spot in the lives of those who need encouragement the most. 

By partnering with Children’s Cancer Fund on these efforts, Dallasites create a brighter future for kids with cancer.