Ducks Strut Their Stuff on the Runway for 15th Anaheim Lady Ducks Fashion Show 

The Ducks hit the runway this week as the club celebrated the 15th annual Anaheim Lady Ducks Fashion Show in support of CHOC Pediatric Health System.

The marquee event represents the ongoing partnership between CHOC, the Anaheim Lady Ducks and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, having raised more than $1.8 million in support of the crucial care CHOC provides children and families in Southern California. Proceeds raised from this year’s event will go to support CHOC’s KidsCARE (Clinical Care, Advancement, Research, Education), as well as areas identified as CHOC’s greatest needs.

“CHOC is such a pillar in our community,” said Anaheim Ducks Foundation Executive Director, Wendy Arciero. “The relationship and partnership that we have with them is part of the fabric of what we do with the Ducks, the Lady Ducks and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. We not only celebrate the important work they're doing and the families and the children who have benefited from their services, we also let our fans and our supporters know what an important institution CHOC is in our community.”

The Westin Anaheim Resort was the site of the afternoon luncheon where guests were greeted with a champagne reception presented by Pacific Premier Bank and a silent auction presented by The Lang Family that featured luxury items, such as beauty and accessories packages, travel experiences and signed Ducks/NHL memorabilia. 

The event was co-hosted by Anaheim Ducks television host Kent French and in-arena host Ally Kay. French also served as auctioneer for the live auction presented by Pacific Premier Bank that featured several one-of-a-kind experiences, including a gaming/Esports party with Ducks forward Troy Terry, a golf foursome for the 2nd annual Anaheim Ducks Alumni Golf Tournament and a road trip travel package to Las Vegas to see the Ducks play the Golden Knights.

Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer of CHOC Foundation Jessica Miley shared with the luncheon attendees that all 10 of the CHOC Ambassador kids participating in the fashion show have been impacted in some way by the support provided by the event and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. 

One example of new technology at CHOC that has been made possible by raised funds from this event is the addition of NIC-View, a bedside camera system that allows parents to see their newborns if they need to be away from them during their stay at CHOC.

“CHOC is turning 60 this year…and we are so excited that this is our 15th anniversary of this event,” said Miley. “It means so much because it goes to support so many elements of our hospital, whether it's the lifesaving care that we provide or the groundbreaking research. Most notably, it helps things like our Child Life and our therapy programs, helping kids just be kids while they're in the hospital, reminding them that ‘Long Live Childhood,’ which is our motto.”

Twelve-year old CHOC Ambassador Kara Nguyen shared the story of her birth and how she was diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal sepsis. After receiving lifesaving care from the CHOC doctors and NICU team, she is now a healthy 7th grader who enjoys ballroom dancing and raising funds and awareness for the significant work of CHOC.

“I've been given many opportunities to make my mark in the world, and just by being here with all of you today and being the 2024 CHOC Walk Ambassador, I can help create awareness of the good CHOC has done for the kids in my community,” Kara said. “I just want to say thank you to the Lady Ducks and the Anaheim Ducks Foundation as we benefit CHOC.”

The highlight of the afternoon was when the 10 CHOC Ambassadors took to the runway alongside several Ducks players and their significant others outfitted in the latest spring and summer fashions provided by Bloomingdale’s of South Coast Plaza. As they strutted their stuff, French and Kay shared the stories of each child and how CHOC’s medical care has impacted them and their families.

When eleven-year old Piper Mangan was born, she underwent open-heart surgery at just six weeks old for Tetralogy of Fallot, a heart condition made up of four related congenital heart defects. Today, she is an active 5th grader who love softball and the Anaheim Ducks. She got to walk the fashion runway with Ducks defenseman and her new favorite player, Radko Gudas, and his wife Barb.

“It was super exciting because Radko is a giant compared to me, and Barb is just such a nice human being,” Piper said. “This is my first time ever doing a fundraiser for CHOC. They’ve given me great care. They helped me with my diagnosis, and they didn't give up on me. I made it out alive because of them…so I'm very grateful for all they have done for me.”

After meeting Piper, Gudas became as big of a fan of her as she is of him.

“It’s amazing, she’s such a warrior,” Gudas said. “And my daughter got to meet her and her family, so they're all really good friends. I'm really happy that the Ducks organization can help. It's nice to see the whole community come together and do something for a good cause. It's crucial for us, I think, just to show the people that we're in, and the players are willing to help out with making everything possible for the kids to have a good day.”

From the smiles on the faces of both the kids and the players, it was easy to see that the afternoon was sure to be an event they remember for the rest of their lives.
“This is by far the highlight of the year,” Miley said. “The kids talk about it all year long to their nurses, their doctors, their speech therapists…getting to say that they got to represent CHOC, which is a huge honor for us…We're just really lucky to have the Anaheim Ducks Foundation and the Anaheim Ducks as defenders of childhood.”

For more information on CHOC Pediatric Health System, visit choc.org.