Campus Colors posted another slamdunk for Rory
Campus Colors again raised a championship banner for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation by raising support, awareness, and excitement through its annual “March Madness” raffle. It is simple; win the raffle and you win an authentic University of North Carolina basketball jersey autographed by, yes, the great Michael Jordan. The Foundation was the recipient of the $4,000 raffle tickets receipts. Keeping The Foundation in mind, Barbara Rubenstein also took advantage of the popularity of a promotional poster featuring country music star Kenny Chesney. The posters are part of the “Wear Your College Colors to Work Day,” which was held September 1st. “Instead of giving these posters away, we decided we would take a donation of $50 or $100 and pass that amount on to The Foundation,” Barbara said. “It’s just another way to raise money and awareness for a great organization.”
Zeta Beta Tau enjoyed victory for Rory
The Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity at the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign, once again sponsored a day of Powder Puff football. This tournament delivered pigskin excitement and also raised $2,700 for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. This year’s tournament, held in April 1, featured 12 sorority teams while brothers of Zeta Beta Tau, Chapter Rho, served as coaches. The Foundation also benefited again this year from Zeta Beta Tau’s “Sober Drivers” program. In the spring, the program raised approximately $650 for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation.
Barry Bakal’s drive for the green raised $20,000
In mixing his love of golf with his loyal support in the battle against pediatric brain cancer, Barry Bakal posted a championship score in a one-day, one-player event that raised the phenomenal sum of $20,000 for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. On a June day at Hillcrest Country Club, this tireless Rory supporter played 100 holes of golf to help generate funding for The Foundation, increase awareness of the disease and its affects, and galvanize continued interest in finding a cure. Backed by sponsors who donated dollars, by hole, or by score, Barry put his own money behind his game. He donated $20 for each double bogey or worse score on a hole, and $30 for every birdie he sunk. The largest donor to this clever and inherently grueling event received a free foursome at Hillcrest Country Club.
JAB Produce landed another big order
For the third year in a row, Steve Serck designated a percentage of the receipts from one of his company’s most profitable days to The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. JAB Produce sells fresh produce to grocers throughout the Chicago area. The weekend before July 4th is one of its busiest, and coincidentally, this is when the company holds its annual “Rory Day.” On this day five percent of all sales are donated to The Foundation. At JAB, big orders typically symbolize orders by the truckload. This year, those orders added up to a generous contribution of $6,000 to The Foundation.
Radiothon raised record amount for Children’s Memorial
On August 11th and 12th, Chicago radio station 101.9 FM, The Mix, took to the air for the Seventh Annual Eric & Kathy’s 36 Hour Radiothon benefiting Children’s Memorial Hospital. The Radiothon raised over $8 million for the hospital over the previous six years, and this year brought in a record $2 million in gifts in 36 hours. Broadcasting live from the Siragusa Lobby of Children’s Memorial, energetic morning personalities shared the moving stories of children, parents, doctors, nurses, and staff in an effort to raise funds for this life-saving institution. Among the show’s magical moments was the airing of a song paying tribute to Rory and the heroic ways in which he responded to adversity. The money raised from the event goes toward pediatric research, patient care, education, and advocacy. Thanks to the determined efforts of the staff at WTMX and the generous pledges of its listeners, the hospital continues to work toward medical advances that can make a difference in the lives of its young patients.
Barry Silver raced to the finish for Rory
For several years, Barry Silver trained for and completed the physically demanding challenge of a triathlon. The grueling combination of swimming, running, and biking in these events has helped keep the Northbrook-based attorney in shape, and his efforts have also contributed to the health of local charitable organizations. This year, his drive to compete raised $11,000 for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. “Each year, I select a different organization to represent in a triathlon,” Barry explains. “The money that comes from those who sponsor me in the event goes to that organization.” It was Barry’s wife who helped him discover this year’s choice. She picked up a Rory David Deutsch Foundation brochure while shopping at the Campus Colors store in Highland Park. “My wife told me I had to read through it and, as I did, I knew I had found my next charity,” said Barry. “It had me in tears. After learning more on The Foundation’s website, I realized just how worthy this organization is, and just how important it is that cancer research be supported by continued funding.” The race took place September 9, 2006 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. “More than 200 people made contributions to my race for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation,” he said. “It was incredibly motivating.”
Seniors came together for Rory
The Brookdale Senior Living Group owns and operates Hawthorn Lakes and The Seasons at Glenview Place. Residents and family members gathered together on October 6th for an evening of elegance and hope that raised $2,500 for The Rory David Deutsch Foundation. “A Recipe for Hope,” as the evening was billed, took place at The Seasons. This tasteful occasion featured fine dining highlighted by the signature dishes of Brookdale Senior Living’s top Chicagoland chefs. This six-course culinary treat celebrated the warmth of family and the work of The Foundation.
Record crowd celebrated ‘Rockin’ Family Event
The sounds of children laughing, splashing, dancing, running, and rejoicing echoed throughout the Highland Park Recreation Center at The Rory David Deutsch Foundation Family Event in October. With the theme, “Rockin’ Under the Stars: A Family Exercise in Hope and Help,” this evening of food and fun, games and prizes, exercise and entertainment drew nearly 800 people and raised close to $400,000 for The Foundation. “Quite simply, it was an amazing event,” said Robin Baba, who once again partnered with Beth Conen as co-chair of the event. “This was one of our largest turnouts, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.” When they were not joining their children in fun-filled games and activities, parents were swept up in the excitement of the event’s raffle and live auction. Raffle prizes included a laptop computer, a Vespa, his and her Hermes watches, and, the Grand Prize, a 2006 Toyota Scion. At the end of this celebration, everyone gathered outside of the Highland Park Recreation Center for a spectacular fireworks show. It was the culmination of an event filled with stars…paying tribute to a bright star that continues to shine in their lives.
Foundation increased its support of Children’s, Duke
The Rory David Deutsch Foundation extended its support of research at both Children’s Memorial Hospital and Duke University. The Foundation had contributed $400,000 of a $1 million grant to innovative research projects being conducted at Children’s Memorial under the direction of Dr. Stewart Goldman. In this, The Foundation’s third of its five-year commitment, it increased its increments of payment to $200,000 per year. At the same time, The Foundation extended its $2 million grant to Duke University to be paid over an additional five years. With a pledge of $200,000 a year, The Foundation will contribute a total of $3 million toward ongoing brain tumor research being conducted at the Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University.
Dr. Friedman, Duke researchers encouraged by continued progress
World-renowned neuro-oncologist Dr. Henry Friedman and his staff of researchers at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University reported considerable progress related to the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. “Because of the support of The Rory David Deutsch Foundation, we are able to lead ground-breaking studies into therapies that will help children with brain tumors,” Friedman said. One of the therapies being studied involves a drug that is already making an impact in cancer treatment. “We found that a particular drug regimen had a positive response for adults suffering from recurrent malignant gliomas and now, with the funding from The Foundation, we have extended the research to children,” explains Friedman. Researchers at Duke found that the targeted-therapy drug Avastin, which has already been proven to be effective in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, combined with CPT11—a chemotherapy agent used to treat colorectal cancer—also works on adult brain tumors. In the last year Dr. Jeremy Rich of the Brain Tumor Center has found that, in the laboratory, this regimen should be effective in pediatric brain tumor cases as well.
Through the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, Duke researchers opened a clinical trial to see how the drugs work on children. Unlike other drugs that need years of clinical trials and FDA approval, these two drugs have been studied extensively by doctors. The researchers’ eventual hope is that, rather than needing to approve entirely new drugs, the FDA will simply have to grant new uses for the drugs.
Children’s Memorial researcher optimistic about her work
Researchers are constantly looking at new ways to strengthen the fight against brain tumors in children. While definitive therapies in the field have yet to emerge, there are many areas of research that continue to show great signs of promise. At Children’s Memorial Hospital, Amy Rosenfeld’s research in the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Department is one example of progress that continues to offer hope.
In the final year of a three-year fellowship at Children’s Memorial, Rosenfeld’s work zeroed in on one property of the drug Busulfan, which is already being used effectively in oral form to treat certain kinds of cancer. Busulfan has been used to treat brain tumors, but at doses that necessitate support until a bone marrow transplant. With this starting point, Rosenfeld tested an intravenous version of the medication treatment in lower doses to determine whether bone marrow damage can be avoided without reducing the drug’s positive affects. “By testing this new form of an existing drug, there may be a way to develop a new treatment specific to brain tumors,” said Rosenfeld, who plans to become a pediatric neuro-oncologist after completing her fellowship. Under the guidance of Dr. Stewart Goldman and partially funded by The Rory David Deutsch Foundation, Rosenfeld’s work has already cleared early testing hurdles and is being readied for a Phase I clinical trial. “We have completed background work on animals and proposed the Phase I trial, which involves testing the technique in humans,” said Rosenfeld. “This is something we’re very excited about.”
Rory Award winners showed their talent
Once again the students at Indian Trail School in Highland Park took a break from their schoolwork and put pen to paper, or brush to canvas, to express their feelings about the responsibilities of being a good citizen. It is the school’s “CARE” program that nurtures their giving spirit, and it is The Rory Award that encourages their creations. Since 1999, The Rory Award has complemented “CARE,” which provides students with support and activities that ensure that they feel valued and respected. Together, they continue to celebrate Rory’s memory. In 2006, fifth-grader Jori Horberg wrote the winning essay, and second-grader, Stella Gerson created the winning art piece.
Lake Forest Children’s Theatre Company earned another bow
The Lake Forest Children’s Theatre Company once again donated a portion of ticket sales from its many performances. With several different casts participating in a twelve-week program that develops their skills, each performs the program’s selected work on a stage in their area. The company’s fall musical, “Guys and Dolls Jr.,” included all the professionalism of a Broadway show, with students involved in everything from costumes to set lighting. In the spring, the company staged “High School Musical,” based on the film that became a favorite with kids and teens. For the effort they give and the support they offer year in and year out, The Lake Forest Children’s Theatre Company certainly deserves a standing ovation.
The Karyn Collection carried on its giving momentum
Through their Highland Park store, The Karyn Collection, Mark and Karyn Levy continued to contribute a portion of its sales on particular products to The Foundation. Featuring handcrafted toys, clothing, furniture, accessories for children, and some unique gifts for adults; the store is a favorite of area families. “We are always looking for new ways to promote and raise funds for The Foundation,” said Karyn. “Celebrating Rory’s memory to help children facing similar circumstances is a mission that will always have our commitment.”