Blood Cancer United’s Annual Fundraiser Showcases “The Heart of the Fight”
Inside Dallas' Beloved St. Valentine's Day Luncheon and Fashion Show
BY Melissa Smrekar //
The Robyn Chauvin-produced fashion show featured dazzling runway looks from Highland Park Village retailers La Vie Style House, MARKET, La Double J, LoveShackFancy, Lela Rose, and Carolina Herrera. (Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass)
Signed, sealed, delivered.
Dallas’ most vibrant valentines once again flocked to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center for the 42nd annual St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show, which benefits Blood Cancer United (formerly known as Leukemia and Lymphoma Society).
Megan and Keith Conlon co-chaired this year’s luncheon, themed “Heart of the Fight.” Their friends Ellen and Clayton Kershaw generously served as honorary chairs for the event that Rusty Duvall and Janet Evans founded more than four decades ago.
In a city of women who embrace wearing pink and red for the first 14 days of February, the charity set knows that the crescendo of this sartorial marathon is the St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon. (The heart-shaped purse industry must be kept alive, in part, thanks to Dallas women who attend this event.) In the sea of crimson reds and petal pinks, allow me to highlight a few favorite looks:
- Courtney Petit (who co-chaired the event last year with Caitlin Wilson) almost always wears neutrals, but she accessorized her winter white jacket-and-pant set with a charming handbag featuring a weenie dog sitting in a martini glass filled with olives.
- Samantha Wortley, whose daughters walked in the fashion show, wore a floor-length ruby red gown with a cape. I looked at her and said, “Ah, yes. The 11 am cape.” (Her husband, Dr. Phil Wortley, couldn’t help but chuckle.)
- Hamilton Sneed opted for a spearmint green jacket set with a turtleneck and cuffed pants from — who else? — Thom Browne.
- Maggie Kipp paired tassel earrings and sky-high heels with a pink fur draped diagonally across her pink shift. (“I can only wear this every other year!” she told me.)
- Victoria Snee, Highland Park Village’s Chief Marketing Officer, wore a striking swing dress in “Cornucopia Pink” from La DoubleJ that was covered in paillettes.
FOX4’s Clarice Tinsley served as the mistress of ceremonies inside the Margaret McDermott Performance Hall. The Conlons shared their deep and personal connection to the cause, as Megan’s mother, Linda Somerville, died from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. In the years that followed, her best friend (and Keith’s mother) supported the St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon in her honor.
Keith said, “Supporting Blood Cancer United has never been about an event or a title. It’s about honoring someone we loved, standing with families battling blood cancer, and believing in the hope that research and care can give people more time and more life.”
The Allen
Four awards were given at this year’s event:
- The inaugural Linda Somerville Memorial Hero Award was presented to the late Gene Palma.
- Lisa Cooley received the 2026 ICON Award.
- Kathi Shuford received the Lynda Adleta Heart of Gold Award.
- Vivian Haddad was recognized with the Spirit of Tom Landry Award.
The Robyn Chauvin-produced fashion show followed, featuring dazzling runway looks from Highland Park Village retailers La Vie Style House, MARKET, La Double J, LoveShackFancy, Lela Rose, and Carolina Herrera. The child models (including the Wortley gals and Belle Thomas in LoveShackFancy) delighted, posing with “vintage” telephones while “Call Me Maybe” played.
Lunch, red velvet cake, and air kisses followed. At Blood Cancer United’s annual St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show, Cupid’s arrow always hits the mark.
PC Seen: Dr. Gwen Nichols, Leah Swanson, Robyn and Don Conlon, Nancy Gopez, Maggie Kipp, Melinda Knowles, Courtney Petit, Samantha Wortley, Peggy Sewell, Fiona Richards, Allie Beth Allman, Lisa and Clay Cooley, Ciara Biggers, Kathi and Scott Shuford, Lauren Laughry, Elisa Summers, Heather Washburne, Susie Barnett, Tiffany Divis, Jennifer Dix, Christie Carter, Gina Betts, Muffin Lemak, Lynae Fearing, Amy Hegi, Libby Hegi, Kim Quinn, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Molly Duvall, Erin Thomas, Jill Goldberg, Christine Winn, Victoria Snee, Jill Tananbaum, Kimberly Alexander, Katherine Coker, Katy Brooks, Laura Price, Kim Quinn, Meredith Ferrell, and Megan Filgo.
