Volume 3, Issue 14
July 5 - July 18, 2001

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Couture for a Cure Boas and bangles, young distinguished designers, and Ewing's Sarcoma have only one thing in common: the prolific spirit of Daniele Stell and her fabulous Odyssey.

The night of July 14 from 6 p. m. to midnight, 'fun' will become a word associated with pediatric cancer. Journey to a Cure, Dani's Fabulous Odyssey will host an all-out, celebrity-studded local event, featuring area designers under the age of 25 in a fashion show and design contest. Bubbling over with music, dance, food, and drinks, the evening will also include an action-packed silent auction. This enchanted event specifically encourages attendees to accessorize their attire with brightly colored wigs, fantastic hats, and funky shoes.

"This is about fun loving, living and breathing people who don't have cancer," said Michele Ashby, Daniele Stell's mother.

Daniele Stell was an artistic and aspiring fashion designer when she lost her battle at age 19 to Ewing's Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. She was energetic and lived her life fully, with a fashionable flair. "We never let the cancer control our lives," Ashby said. "Dani would pencil it into her schedule but she had plenty of other things going on as well. You know, she never gave up. The day before she died, she said, 'Mom, I can't believe I didn't beat it. '"

Dani's sparkling odyssey does indeed live on, but don't think for a minute that Dani's family or Dani's Foundation is seeking tears or sympathy. "I think that she would say, 'Don't cry for me, go out and make it better for someone else, '" Ashby said. "She would just love this event ... she would not want this to be just pictures of a bunch of bald kids with cancer."

"I think if she had a legacy, she would say to always be there for people that need you," Stell agreed. "I have learned that we are all here to help each other, and that I was put on this earth to help people, too."

The main event will feature 11 designers competing for the grand prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to New York to hang out with award-winning designer Norma Kamali. Kamali's groovy designs were featured in the movie The Wiz, and more recently, have been donned by luscious divas such as Cher, Diana Ross, and Bianca Jagger.

"Who knows," Ashby said, "in 10 years we all might be wearing these young designer's clothes they just better remember me."

Ashby, who describes the tremendous chore of running and maintaining the two-year-old Dani's Foundation as "my spare time," is quick to recognize her sources of loyal support. "This has been a family affair. My husband sits on the board with me, and John (Dani's brother) has been helping a lot we're all working on this. I'm sure Dani's working on it, too; we couldn't have gotten this far if it weren't for her spirit."

"We have a strong foundation of supporters from last year," said handsome and soft-spoken John Stell. "I think we will have a good turn out for this one too."

Stell, 23, Dani's older brother (and the ringleader of the Generation X & Y section of the silent auction) has collected donations from Twisted Sol, Imi Jimi, and Pandora's Jewelry, as well as other local hip retailers.

"Dani gave me a lot of advice on fashion," Stell said. "She'd take me shopping, pick out things for me to wear, and tell me I needed to change my style. We did fight pretty bad when we were growing up, but she became my idol. She was so strong and I was so proud of her we were best friends. We were totally a team, and we went through everything together."

Dani's Foundation, indeed inspired by Daniele's memory, is much more than a namesake charity. The Foundation raises money for pediatric cancers, monitors progress of research, and also supports the families or caregivers of patients with cancer. Besides an odyssey, a fashion show, and entertainment, this extravaganza also has a fabulous philosophy.

"We are just really excited to be showcasing young people. I think it helps close the generation gap, and gives [young people] a way to communicate and express themselves," Ashby said. "It has been a underlying mission to help bridge that gap in a really creative and fun way."

Success, for Ashby and Dani's Foundation, is not merely measured in dollars, but also in simple delight.

"There are so many layers of joy that come from an event like this," Ashby concluded. "This is about kids, fashion, reaching out to the community, and it gets to all be accomplished in the name of my daughter ... I mean, how cool is that?"

Kity Ironton

For more information or to order tickets online, go to www.danisfoundation.org or call 303-825-0834.

photos Sean Hartgrove ... model Anette ... courtesy Donna Baldwin Talent