More than 30 Chicago-area children will don the latest fashions Saturday to help raise money for Aspire, a Westchester-based nonprofit group providing services to those with developmental disabilities.

Aspire has teamed with five area clothing stores for its sixth annual Beautiful Children Fashion show. Event chair Alison Bell, 37, said all proceeds will go toward Aspire, which has provided services to her 3-year-old son, Kamren, for more than two years.

“Aspire has been a godsend,” Bell said.
Doctors originally diagnosed Kamren with a serious heart condition, in which the left side of the heart is underdeveloped. The condition requires several surgeries in a child’s early years.

“The chances for him to live were not going to be so good,” Bell said. “When they told me, I was just devastated.”

Further testing showed Kamren’s heart condition was not as serious as originally thought, but that he did show signs of Down syndrome.

“It didn’t turn out to be so terrible,” Bell said.
Kamren now receives comprehensive services from Aspire, including speech, developmental, physical and occupational therapy. The services, Bell said, have kept Kamren’s development as near to his peers as possible.

Kamren, accompanied by his sister Kennedi, 5, will walk the runway Saturday, showing off the latest clothing from Oak Brook’s My Sister Kate boutique.

For nearly 50 years, Aspire has provided services to children and adults with developmental disabilities in west suburban Chicago. It now serves about 500 people and their families with therapy services, social events and support programs.

Erik Johnson, vice president for advancement, said the fashion show is Aspire’s biggest fundraiser. The event raised more than $7,000 in it’s first year. More than 400 people attended last year’s event, which raised $42,000.

“It has grown every year,” Johnson said. “Each year we get more people attending, more auction items; it’s just been a fantastic event.”

The event also includes several large raffle items, including tickets to “The Oprah Show,” a handcrafted children’s activity table, a Nintendo Wii system with a game, “Wicked” theater tickets with a hotel stay and limousine ride, and a digital camera with accessories, Bell said. Dozens of other items will be available for auction.

“It’s a really unique event,” Johnson said. “I think people are truly touched by what goes on there.”