"Oh - What a Night!"

On November 2, 2006 , the doors opened at Long Island ’s Huntington Townhouse for “Countdown to a Cure II – Celebrating Champions”, presented by AperioCI. More than 600 guests attended to help raise money for one important cause – finding a cure for Nephrotic Syndrome and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The NephCure Foundation commends the efforts of the committee which raised more than $320,000 to further the Foundation’s crucial mission.

The evening began with a big surprise. “Oh – what a night!” said Ron Cohen, chairman and emcee of the event. “When opening the event and announcing the amount raised to date, I heard someone yelling my name from the back of the room.” That someone was Domenica Zaharios, mother of a FSGS patient, handing over a donation of $20,000 from Alvin and Deborah Benjamin.

This prompted other spontaneous contributions. The night continued with a raffle, silent auction, and live auction that included fabulous prizes such as front row tickets to a NY Knicks game and a signed bat from Carlos Beltran of the NY Mets.

No doubt, the stars of the evening were the Champions, honored for their commitment to charities like the NephCure Foundation. Among those was Sonia Valentine. Valentine has been a great supporter of NephCure’s “Letters for Life” (read more) campaign. A kidney transplant recipient herself, she has been sharing the story of her grandson, an FSGS patient, and has raised $22,500 to date. Other Champions included:

Dilys Whyte, M.D. , Associate Professor and Director of the Pediatric Nephrology Department at SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital. Dr. Whyte is honored for her commitment to support patient families affected by Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS.

Tim & Vanessa Brink, a married couple who has shown inspirational strength in the face of adversity. Tim has required two kidney transplants due to FSGS and received his second from his wife.

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Michelle DiGregorio. Together with her co-workers, Michele raised $25,000 for NephCure in honor of her supervisor’s son, Matthew Levine who has FSGS.

Ed Hearn, ‘86 World Champion, NY Mets. As an Ambassador for The NephCure Foundation, Hearn is a leading advocate for FSGS research. He has undergone three kidney transplants due to FSGS and also defeated cancer.

Emerson Boozer , ’69 Super Bowl Champion, NY Jets. Boozer has contributed to numerous children's causes as a member of the NFL Alumni. He retired from his position as the Town of Huntington ’s Director of Parks and Recreation in January 2005. In this position, he ensured safe environments and activities for children and families throughout Huntington.

“We could have not done it without the support of our great sponsors including Turner Construction and Raymond Financial Services, Inc.” says Michael Levine, father of Matthew Levine and member of the committee. “We thank our families, friends, co-workers, and business partners who have teamed up with NephCure to provide hope for patients and families affected by Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS.”

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