Under the big top: Fashion show spotlights children winning the battle over cancer

Jude Cobler is a face of hope and inspiration throughout Dallas.

In December, the first grader at All Saints Lutheran School in Plano was honored as a grand marshal in the Children's Medical Center holiday parade. On Wednesday, fans found him strutting down the runway in true Texas cowboy attire at Children's Cancer Fund's 24th annual luncheon and fashion show.

While Jude worked the catwalk, the audience learned that the 7-year-old wants to go to Japan "because that's where the Pokémon store is," his favorite subjects are religion and P.E., he wants to be a pediatric oncologist when he grows up and that his brother Joshua is his ultimate hero, because that is where Jude's story of survival begins.

Jude was diagnosed with leukemia on his fourth day of kindergarten in August 2010. With their parents being of different ethnicities, the chances of finding a bone marrow match were slim to none, but Joshua was a perfect match. After weeks of "conditioning," or total-body radiation to destroy his own marrow, Jude was replenished with his brother's on Dec. 23, 2010.

Jude joined 38 other spirited and courageous children whose lives have been shaken by cancer for the fashion show, which was held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Honorary co-chairs Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach joined luncheon co-chairs Lori Buschel and Keyea Webster, along with an extensive lineup of celebrities and local media, to present these patients and numerous pediatric cancer survivors in a special runway show sponsored by Dillard's and "under the big top."

KDFW FOX 4 News Anchors Steve Eagar and Clarice Tinsley served as master and mistress of ceremonies, introducing a host of local celebrities, dignitaries and media personalities who served as runway escorts for the Children's Medical Center patients modeling in this year's fashion show. Escorts included Rudy Gatlin, Miss Texas Kendall Morris, musician and former Dallas Maverick Ray Johnston, Texas country musician Pat Green, former Dallas Cowboys Daryl Johnston, Dat Nguyen and Drew Pearson; former St. Louis Ram Rich Coady; Thomas Morstead, punter for the New Orleans Saints 2009 Super Bowl winning team; former Texas Ranger Jim Sundberg; Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and more.

Proceeds from the event went to Children's Cancer Fund to help advance pediatric cancer research and treatment programs at Children's Medical Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center, benefiting children worldwide. Organizers hoped to raise more than $290,000 from the event for pediatric cancer research. Since its inception in 1982, Children's Cancer Fund has donated over $7 million to help find a cure for childhood cancer.

Founded 30 years ago by a group of local parents whose children were being treated for cancer at Children's Medical Center, Children's Cancer Fund has become one of the nation's leading fundraising groups in support of local research for the treatment and prevention of childhood cancers. Among the programs supported by the fund are the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program at Children's Medical Center and the Children's Cancer Fund Comprehensive Center for Research in Pediatric Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, which is gaining a national reputation for its work in eradicating childhood cancers. In 2002, the fund initiated funding for a full-time Child Life Assistant at Children's Medical Center's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders to help better serve its outpatient clients.

"It is so hard to accept what these children have to endure on a day-to-day basis in their fight against pediatric cancer," Webster said in a release. "Children's Cancer Fund is dedicated to providing the critical funding for research and treatment programs that will not only save lives, but lead to a cure."

Children's Cancer Fund created a special 2012 Children's Cancer Fund Inspiration Book for this year's luncheon that included photos of the children, honorary chairs and physicians, as well as original artwork by the cancer patients participating in the fashion show.

Dr. Steven Skapek spoke on behalf of the doctors, nurses and other providers who treat cancer at Children's Medical Center and said their dedication, along with the support of the Children's Cancer Fund, has helped cure more than two-thirds of children with cancer today. However, the work is far from complete, he said.

"Cancer treatment is very difficult and can leave children with life-long side effects of therapy, such as weakened heart function, poor immune system and even at risk for developing other cancers," Skapek said. "Even more concerning is the fact that there are types of childhood cancers for which therapy is not very effective. We must continue to strive to develop more effective therapy and treatments that can be delivered with lower side effects. For us to accomplish this, we need to carry out research. And these research efforts require us to partner with individuals like you -- who are willing to come together to provide critical resources to help launch innovative research programs that we are poised to accomplish at this great children's hospital and on this great university campus."

Wednesday's fashion show was the first one attended by the Coblers, who look forward to attending more in the future.

"It really puts a face to childhood cancer, it gives it a personalization," Jude's father, Keith, said. "[Jude's] pretty soulful to begin with so he really enjoyed it. It amazed me how many of them who have been affected wanted to give back in some way, whether it was by being a nurse or a fireman, it was all about giving back and helping. They are all very thankful and they want to give back."

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