Make-A-Wish Provides Fashion with a Passion

As children grow up, they develop wishes they hope will someday be fulfilled. Those wishes may be to become a doctor, swim with dolphins, or become king of the world. For most children, they never drive their one true wish will abruptly change to simply beating cancer. 

Beginning in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has supported more than 270,000 children throughout the country who have battled and continue to battle life-threatening illnesses. According to the Make-A-Wish website, a wish is granted approximately every 35 minutes. 

"Wishes impact everyone involved - wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. The impact varies. For wish kids, just the act of making their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments," claims the Make-A-Wish Foundation through their mission statement.

To raise awareness for their cause, Make-A-Wish chapters around the country host events to benefit the children in need. On Saturday, April 9th, the San Diego chapter and the Fashion Fairies Wish Granting Group will host the 6th Annual Fashion with a Passion event from 11am to 3:30pm at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). This special occasion will bring together a diverse group of women and will include a high-end fashion show featuring FIDM advanced design graduate Mohamed Salaheldin and the "Ultimate Fine Accessory and Outerwear Swap." Here, guests can bring handbags, accessories, and outerwear they no longer plan to use and swap them with items brought by other guests! 

This year, the 6th Annual Fashion with a Passion event will highlight wish kid Alexxa. Despite battling osteosarcoma, 16-year-old Alexxa enjoys playing soccer, shopping with friends, and painting. Recently, Alexxa’s wish to travel to Bora Bora was granted. She and her family traveled to the South Pacific to enjoy and create many amazing family experiences with one another. When she returns, Alexxa will be a part of the Fashion with a Passion fashion show, where she will model a custom-made dress by a FIDM designer. 

As each Fashion with a Passion event continues to be more and more successful than the last, the overall goal and inspiration remains the same. "Our Fashion with a Passion event stems from our desire to reach and involve women throughout our San Diego community to form a multi-generational, multi-cultural fundraising group to support teen girls’ "wishes" through Make-A-Wish San Diego... Through our outreach in the community, we strive to educate people about Make-A-Wish and their mission to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy by granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions," committee chairperson Carolyn Morris said. 

To purchase tickets for the event, visit Fashion with a Passion or purchase them at the door for $50 per person. All net proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish San Diego. Admission includes food, beverage, and dessert tasting, a fashion and beauty-related vendor village, fabulous auction items and raffle prizes, plus much more.

The 6th Annual Fashion with a Passion event will be held at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.