Dress Up '90s-Style At Mom Prom In Elmhurst

ELMHURST, IL — Women from across the Chicago suburbs are invited to a 90s-themed charity fundraiser this fall as an Elmhurst woman honors her mother’s memory and supports blood cancer research.

The Ultimate 90s Mom Prom is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, and will benefit Blood Cancer United, formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is set for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. the Maywood Sportsmen's Club, 700 County Line Road.

The event is being organized by Dawn Pintsak in memory of her mother, Laura Gannon, who lost her battle with lymphoma three years ago. The date also carries family meaning because Gannon’s birthday was Oct. 6.

Pintsak said the fundraiser grew out of grief, remembrance and a desire to help other families facing blood cancer.

"I wanted to create something joyful in honor of my mom while also doing something that could make a difference for another family," Pintsak said. "My mom fought until the very end. Even just days before we lost her, she was still trying new clinical trials. She never stopped hoping that the next treatment might be the one that worked."

That experience is one reason Pintsak and her family continue to support blood cancer research, according to a news release.

"Research means hope," Pintsak said. "Every new treatment and every clinical trial has the potential to give someone more time with the people they love. Maybe someday another family won’t have to lose a mom, a sister or a best friend to lymphoma. That is why continuing to support and fund this research is so important to our family."

The event will feature a DJ, dancing and music from the 90s, along with a chance for attendees to dress for the decade. Despite the name, the event is not limited to mothers. All women age 21 and older are welcome, according to the news release.

Mom Prom began in 2006 in Canton, Michigan, at St. Thomas a Becket Catholic Church as a ladies' night out for charity. Women wore old prom gowns, bridesmaid dresses, wedding gowns and other formalwear while raising money for a cause. The idea later grew into a nationwide charitable tradition focused on women gathering for fun while giving back.

Pintsak's family plans another event later in the month. Two weeks after Mom Prom, they are set to walk in Laura's memory at the 2026 Western Suburban Light The Night on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Spring Rock Park in Western Springs.

According to the announcement, the annual event brings together patients, survivors, families, friends and community members to honor and remember those touched by blood cancer while raising funds for the fight against the disease.