Fashion and Hope is back for its 15th year, bringing about 100 models and more than 160 looks to the runway at Fields Motorcars Bentley Orlando on Saturday, all in the name of helping Central Florida families battling childhood cancer. The annual charity fashion event pairs 16 local boutiques with local models, designers, businesses and community leaders, with proceeds benefiting the Give Hope Foundation, which provides direct financial assistance to families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis.
According to WESH, each participating boutique will send 10 models down the runway, with hair and makeup artists volunteering their services for the show. The event also includes an art component featuring local artists, with proceeds from art sales returning to the charity. Traffic anchor Meaghan Mackey, who is participating in the runway show, will walk with two Orlando boutiques as part of the lineup, per the same report.
J.R. Tanghal, president of the Hope for More Foundation, discussed the growth and local-family impact of Fashion and Hope with WESH, noting that medical bills continue to pile up during pediatric cancer treatment even as families try to keep up with everyday expenses. Tanghal took over as president of the Hope for More Foundation in August 2025, succeeding founding president Jessica Haines after having helped direct the flagship event since its inception, according to Orlando Life.
A Track Record of Turning Runway Sales Into Direct Aid
Local support has contributed to Fashion and Hope's growth over 15 years, transforming what began as a small charity showcase into one of Orlando's marquee philanthropic events. Last year's show drew more than 600 attendees to Fields Motorcars Orlando and raised $145,000 on the night itself, a total that grew to a record $200,000 once an additional private match was factored in, Orlando Life reports. That fundraising ultimately resulted in a $100,000 check presented directly to the Give Hope Foundation.
Founded in Orlando in 2005, the Give Hope Foundation operates as a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides direct financial aid for essential living expenses such as rent, utilities, groceries and transportation through its Give Hope Hero Program, according to the Hope for More Foundation. That kind of non-medical assistance addresses a gap that often goes unaddressed once a family's medical bills are covered, since housing and grocery costs do not pause during treatment.
The Financial Toll Behind the Runway
The stakes behind Saturday's event are rooted in sobering statistics. The American Cancer Society projects that roughly 9,680 children under age 15 in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026, even as five-year survival rates have climbed to 85%, up from just 58% in the mid-1970s. Despite that medical progress, a study by the National Children's Cancer Society found that 95% of families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis experience severe financial burden, with one in four losing more than 40% of their annual household income due to employment disruptions during treatment.
Hospitalization costs for pediatric cancer average more than $40,000 per stay nationally, nearly five times the cost of hospitalizations for other childhood conditions, driven largely by unexpected complications and prolonged treatment cycles, according to research published on PMC. In Florida alone, roughly 1,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, a steady stream that keeps community-based relief organizations like Give Hope in continuous demand.
An Anti-Gala With Local Ties
Fashion and Hope fits into a broader strategy for the Hope for More Foundation, which centers its philanthropic mission around non-traditional community events — including its signature casual “Anti-Gala” at Fields BMW — to fund initiatives spanning child health, domestic violence advocacy and local family grants. Over the years, the event has attracted designers with personal stakes in its mission; local fashion designer Claudia Gutierrez joined Fashion and Hope more than a decade ago after her own son survived pediatric cancer, according to Orlando Style Magazine.
For 2026, organizers expanded the event's art showcase to feature work from 10 Orlando-area artists, auctioned off alongside the runway looks from the 16 participating boutiques, per the Hope for More Foundation. General admission for Saturday's event begins at 8 p.m. and costs $200, while VIP admission starts at 7 p.m. for $250. Tickets remain available through the Hope for More Foundation's website ahead of the show.
