PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS MODEL MORE THAN LATEST FASHIONS

5th Annual "Fashion Funds the Cure" to Raise Money for Pediatric Cancer Research

TAMPA, FL – January 30, 2008 – Local celebrities will once again be escorting some of Tampa’s finest models in the fifth annual "Fashion Funds the Cure," benefiting the Pediatric Cancer Foundation (PCF), on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. 

From 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saks Fifth Avenue, 258 Westshore Plaza, will close for a private evening of shopping, dining and an exclusive fashion show premiering some of spring’s hottest styles. 

Some of the girls featured throughout the fashion show will model much more than clothing.  Each of these special models has battled pediatric cancer – some are still undergoing treatments and some are celebrating remission. 

“This event is all about these amazing children and what they have been able to accomplish; it is a celebration of them,” said Barbara Rebold, executive director of PCF.  “When the girls walk down the runway, their beauty is indescribable.”

Additionally, the evening’s live and silent auction will feature fabulous trips, roundtrip tickets from AirTran Airways, pampering spa treatments, jewelry, art and more. 

Chadd & Kristi from Magic 94.9 are on board as celebrity hosts of the event. Other local celebrities expected to attend are players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as other local media personalities.

The cost of admission to the show is $75, which provides guests a full evening of wining and dining, the opportunity to bid in our high-end live and silent auction and a seat at the incredible fashion show.

Advance reservations can be made by calling PCF at 813-269-0955, and tickets will also be available at the door.  In addition, 10 percent of all in-store purchases for the evening will be donated to PCF.

Top sponsors for the fourth annual event include Saks Fifth Avenue, Mercedes-Benz, Harrod Properties,The Bank of Tampa and Ed Taylor Construction. 

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation has funded more than $3.4 million to researchers at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa, All Children's Research Institute in St. Petersburg, the University of Florida in Gainesville, the University of Miami School of Medicine, and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.

Most recently, the Foundation launched The Sunshine Project – a novel collaborative research program which is fast-tracking the development of much needed new drugs and therapies that will lead to the cure of childhood cancers.  The Sunshine Project employs researchers from the country’s top institutions to significantly improve the survival rate of pediatric sarcoma patients within three years. 

For more information on “Fashion Funds the Cure” or the Pediatric Cancer Foundation call 813-269-0955, or log on to www.fastercure.org.