2018 Runway Report Featured Fashions As Well As Facts About The Reality Of Kidney Disease

There’s this fella. Let’s call him Steve. He’s a big guy… a really big guy who checks in at over six feet tall. While he’d done his share providing security for highfalutin fundraisers, his day job was as a policeman until he recently retired.  And while Steve’s size was intimidating to some, his ear-to-ear smile has provided many of North Texas’ finest and most generous with a true sense of assurance.

So what does this man have to do with KidneyTexas Inc.’s 2018 Runway Report? He wasn’t there. Probably has never been. But it was because of the annual fundraiser, that research and treatments for kidney disease had Steve on the mend from a tumor that was discovered in his kidney.

But Steve wasn’t alone in being the recipient of the funding. On Thursday, September 27, at Brook Hollow KidneyTexas Inc.’s Runway Report emcee Scott Murray brought home how kidney disease affected people. With more than 300 guests seated in the ballroom, Scott asked all those who had been touched by the disease to stand.   Only a handful of folks remained seated. Among those individually recognized were some of the area’s leading medical experts in the field including Methodist Health System’s Dr. Arti Gupta, UT Southwestern’s Dr. Vishal Patel, Baylor Scott and White’s Dr. Eric Martinez and Dr. Steven Hays. Baylor’s Dr. Richard Ruiz was MIA because he had three kidney transplants scheduled.

According to Scott, more people annually die from kidney disease than breast cancer, prostate cancer and thousands of other diseases.

Proceeds from the day’s event would benefit Baylor Health Care System Foundation, Camp Reynal, Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Methodist Health System Foundation, Parkland Health and Hospital Foundation, Texas Health Resources Foundation and UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Following a welcome by KidneyTexas President Mary Lee Cox, Luncheon Co-Chairs AB Aston and daughter Annalee Aston, the presentation of the Sue Goodnight Award to Lauryn Gayle White, and the Community Awards to The Faye Briggs Family (Faye Briggs, Vinette and Michael Montgomery and Pebble and Mike McGhee) and The Lisa and Clay Cooley Family (Lisa and Clay Cooley, Bela and Chase Cooley, Ciara Cooley and Chance Cooley), Wendy Lambert conducted the live auction that included the Abrash Persian rug.

The highlight of the program was the fashion show of Tootsies, Pockets Menswear and KidBiz clothes. Naturally the kids stole show without one bit of guilt.

Following the finale, guests like Brent Christopher, Susan McSherry, Jennifer Huntsberry, Cheryl Hall, Patricia Cowlishaw, Emilynn Wilson, Lynn Dealey, Dee Wyly, Jill Rowlett, Christie Carter, Mary Martha Pickens, Marj Waters, Gretchen Minyard Williams, Tracy Lange and 2017 Runway Report Co-Chair Christine Martin adjourned to the verandah for lunch and chats. 2016 Runway Report Co-Chair/kidney donor McKamy Tiner Looney was preparing to celebrate her first wedding anniversary. When asked where her mother Martha Caldwell Tiner was, McKamy reported she was out of town on a girls’ getaway.

For more pictures of the faces and fashion, check MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.