Fashion show helps fight cancer

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Virginia Beach isn't known for being a hot bed for fashion, but that wasn't the case recently. For the participants in this fashion show, the clothing wasn't as important as the meaning behind the show.

Just days before the big show, Christie Ligon found herself buried in fabric.

"I'm working on the front part of the skirt," Ligon said.

Her spare bedroom looked more like a work room. No longer meant for sleeping, but instead designing.

"There's actually going to be a band right here that twisted underneath," Ligon explained.

Ligon's love is dressmaking and that has its advantages.

"I'm notorious for not having anything to wear, and then I make it the day off," Ligon joked.

Her latest project was not meant for the her, but for something close to the designer's heart.

"It's a really awesome opportunity for me to use something I love to do, but for a good cause," Ligon said.

Ligon made the outfits for models at the "Ya Think Ya Fancy" show, which was hosted by More Than Boobs Cancer Foundation . One of those models was 15-year-old Becca Parcells.

Parcells showed WAVY.com her favorite fashions, one being a hat shaped like a monkey.

"My favorite animal is a monkey," Parcells said. "I wanted one as a pet, but I know they throw pop. That would not be good."

Smart kid, with a great sense of humor.

"Yeah, I guess I would say I have a lot of brains, because I had brain cancer," Parcells added.

Parcells' cancer was first diagnosed 10 years ago.

"It was surreal," said Becca's mother, Gina Parcells. "You can't believe that it's really happening."

The teen has lived her life in and out of hospitals.

"I couldn't see my friends sometimes," Becca added. "My friends came to me sometimes, but sometimes I was in a room all by myself."

"It's been hard," Gina said. "There have been a lot of side effect type things from the surgery, the chemo and radiation that makes her a little bit different from her friends."

"She's amazing," Ligon added. "You wouldn't know that she's gone through so much."

Becca's story serves as the fabric of inspiration for Ligon.

"I sketched everything for the models, but I left out the color, so they couldn't see the color," Ligon added. "That's going to be a surprise."

Becca's favorite color is pink. She couldn't wait to put on the dress Ligon made for her.

"I'm in a fashion show, and I get to wear all these different clothes," Becca said.

"I'm thrilled that's she's going to get out there, and strut her stuff, and be a model," Gina Parcells added.

All of the models featured in the Virginia Beach fashion show have fought cancer.

"They want to make it fun, so it feels like you haven't had cancer," Becca said. "If you had it, just have fun the rest of your life."

Becca knows cancer is an ugly disease. But for one night, all those troubles were left backstage.

"When you think of a model, you don't think of Becca Parcells, but now they will," Gina gleamed.

All the proceeds from the event went to fighting cancer.