Children of all ages floated down the runway donning elegant dresses and big smiles to celebrate surviving their cancer treatments in a fairy tale themed fashion show hosted by The Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook on Wednesday, March 26.

A square-shaped runway was set up in the middle of the beautifully decorated dining room at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook. The entrance was lined with large knight-in-shining-armor cutouts for the children to take pictures with and all of the 86 tables had Disney-themed centerpieces.

Volunteers dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella strolled around and entertained children sitting at their tables. Even the ushers were dressed as princes.

This is the fifth fashion show for this cause and it is always hosted at the event hall.

“This event is for the cancer patients. It is a celebration of life,” Jeanne Greenfield, Nurse Practitioner for Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, said. “We want to applaud them for overcoming the adversity they have faced.”

Greenfield organized the event. She said her motives were not only to show the sponsors where their donations were going, but also to bring the community together.

The models came out to the runway escorted by a staff member with music playing. The DJ announced their names, described their outfits and gave a brief biography of their hobbies and interests.

Numerous nearby stores donated outfits and gowns for the event, including Kohls, Saks Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic, The Gap and Cottontails.

The models walked in pairs with big smiles on their faces. Audience members had tears in their eyes and applauded as their loved ones strutted across the runway. Cameras flashed and people cheered.