Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month and The Phoenix Women’s Board of the Steele Children’s Research Center at the University of Arizona is proud to announce the 19th annual PANDA “Children Helping Children” Fashion Show and Luncheon will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2018, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn, located at 5402 E Lincoln Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85253 will benefit epilepsy.  The event will feature 55 models, a live and silent auction and raffle. 

This research project will explore both the basic science and clinical aspects of epilepsy with an emphasis on children diagnosed as infants or at an early age. The goal is to develop a new paradigm for treatment through research, including whole genome sequencing, examination of structural brain disorders, and exploration of metabolic issues.”  

Epilepsy that first occurs in adults and older children is diagnosable and generally responds well to medication. But when epilepsy appears in infancy or in young children, it shows up as a set of complex disorders without a clear cause, resulting in perplexing conditions that are very stressful for the affected children and their parents.  Infantile epilepsy can be the result of many factors, including genetics, metabolic problems, and structural brain issues.  Experiencing uncontrollable seizures can be catastrophic for the developing brain, making the search for a cure to help children live seizure-free lives critically important.

The PANDA Children’s Epilepsy Project will support the Steele Center’s exploration, in partnership with Rady Children’s Genomic Institute in San Diego, of both a basic science and clinical approach focusing on children who had their first epileptic event as babies and young children.  The Rady team will provide whole genome sequencing for children, and the Steele team will investigate genetic mutations to determine their functionality and how to treat them.  The goal is to develop a new paradigm for treatment of these children through research including whole genome sequencing, and examination of structural brain disorders and metabolic issues.   

This year’s fashion show will feature 55 “children helping children” from across the Valley and Tucson dressed in spring fashions provided by Ralph Lauren. The theme for this year’s fashion show is “A Jewel in the Desert.”

Tables can be purchased starting at $2500.  Additional sponsorship and branding opportunities are available. For more information, visit www.azpanda.org or “like” PANDA on Facebook.