On November 2, Pediatric Cancer Foundation (PCF), a Mamaroneck-based nonprofit committed to fighting pediatric cancer, will host the Rock The Cure Annual Gala at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, New York. The evening will feature legendary rock music performed by NYC’s Unforgettable Fire, “the world’s greatest U2 Tribute Band,” live and silent auctions and delicious food and drink. The gala is expected to draw hundreds of loyal supporters and rock ‘n roll fans, young philanthropists and advocates for pediatric cancer awareness.
PCF’s mission is to find a cure for childhood cancer. The 501(c) (3) nonprofit raises money for research, state of the art equipment/ instruments and patient/parent care for world-renowned doctors at the hospitals PCF supports. These hospitals include: NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Medical Center, Feinstein Institute of Medical Research – Northwell Health, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center and Comer Children’s Hospital, The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences.
“The goal of our gala is to help raise awareness and much needed funds to fight childhood cancers. More than 2,300 children (from birth to 21 years of age) will die each year from cancer, the causes of which are still unknown, and our funding helps critical research to attack this issue,” explains Bonnie Shyer, PCF president. “We’ve raised countless dollars over the past 45 years and these precious funds help everyone on the front lines of the disease, from children and their families to brilliant medical professionals, all of whom are the soldiers in this battle.”
This year’s event will be in memory of Paul Ulysses Jimenez, a 10 year-old Westchester boy who passed away in January, 2016, from a rare form of cancer in the skeletal muscles called Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). “Paul’s life and his parents’ effort to help their son fight cancer are an inspiration to all of us at PCF,” said Shyer. “We are thankful for the life he led and the example he set, and are honored to host this year’s gala in his memory,”
What started out as a grassroots organization has now become a nationally-recognized nonprofit. With the inclusion of advanced technological equipment that the organization supports, PCF-funded doctors are in communication with hospitals both nationally as well as on an international level. PCF has grown to include support for children and their families afflicted with all types of cancer. Three decades of support has enabled the foundation to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, support research projects and bring exceptional fellows to both the surgical and oncology departments.
PCF receives no funding from the government or Westchester County and is efficiently run by a staff of several part-time consultants. PCF has no overhead costs, such as an office; everyone works out of their homes on their own PCs and office equipment. The many hours spent by PCF’s caring membership (which consists of over 200 volunteers) enable the organization to raise significant funds when hospital financial problems threaten to impede further progress. Community efforts which support many satellite events not only raise significant donations, but have helped cultivate new volunteers and supporters.
Unforgettable Fire has played in some of the most prestigious venues in the northeast, and their concerts have earned the reputation as one of the closest experiences to an actual live U2 concert. Members of the band, who are devoted fans of U2, strive for complete authenticity when performing their live shows and play an impressive array of U2’s material, creating a true-to-form, powerful and wildly exciting concert experience for their audiences.
Individual tickets are $250 and there are many opportunities for group tickets and corporate sponsorships. To purchase online, please visit http://www.pcffallevent.org/rockthecure/ or contact Nancy Joselson at 914-777-3127.
