by Paige Turner
Friends of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt held its annual fundraising event, Friends & Fashion, on Monday, April 1, at Music City Center. The fashion show and luncheon, now in its 29th year, was themed ‘Superheroes’ and included current and former Children’s Hospital patients walking the runway alongside professional models.
The show featured fashions by Dillard’s at the Mall at Green Hills, H. Audrey, Plaid Rabbit/Properly Plaid, and the hospital’s own store, The Friends Shop. Models also wore lab coats hand-painted by Nashville artists, with help from Children’s Hospital patients.
Landyn Hutchinson, who runs lifestyle blog Living with Landyn, served as the event emcee.
“We chose the superhero theme because this event showcases children who have had to be courageous,” said Trish James, event co-chair. “Our child models have fought hard through leukemia treatments, infectious diseases, surgeries and more. They truly are superheroes.”
As Children’s Hospital’s primary volunteer group, the Friends organization’s mission is to support the hospital through fundraising, outreach and patient support.
Funds raised from the event will complete Friends’ $1 million commitment to support Soaring Higher, Dreaming Bigger: A Campaign Against Childhood Cancer and the Program for Children with Medically Complex Needs.
Additional proceeds will go toward a new $1 million commitment from the group to support palliative care and diabetes research at Children’s Hospital.
Friends & Fashion 2019 was co-chaired by Trish James, Leslie Karl and Anna Moran.