Countdown to a Cure 2009
Countdown to a Cure 2009 Raises Over $500,000 to Fight Kidney Disease
Former NY Mets Ed Hearn, John Franco among those who attended
The NephCure Foundation’s annual event held at Citi Field
Berwyn, PA - Countdown to a Cure 2009, held Thursday, November 12 at the Caesars Club in Citi Field in Flushing, NY, helped raise over $517,000 towards The NephCure Foundation’s fight against the kidney diseases Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and Nephrotic Syndrome.
Member of the 1986 world champion New York Mets and a three-time kidney transplant recipient, Ed Hearn, was one of the special guests. The NephCure Ambassador was joined by former New York Mets closer and special guest John Franco, emcee of the evening and WFAN radio personality Evan Roberts, and former Mets executive Jim Duquette.
“This is a great opportunity for NephCure and everyone at this event to generate the awareness and funding that is needed to fight these two devastating kidney diseases,” said Hearn.
Duquette is a NephCure board member and his eight-year-old daughter, Lindsey, suffers from kidney disease.
“NephCure is a great organization that gives patients and families suffering from these diseases a support system and the opportunity to make a difference through raising money to fund critical research,” said Duquette. “Tonight’s event is a great example of how when people come together great things can be accomplished.”
NephCure has committed over $6 million in recent years to research into finding the cause and a cure for FSGS and Nephrotic Syndrome.
The evening included dinner, silent and live auctions of sports and entertainment memorabilia, raffles, and a performance by the band The Original Sun Kings, among other things. Mr. Met, the Mets’ mascot, also made a special trip to the event to entertain the over 600 people in attendance.
New York Assemblyman James Conte, a two-time kidney transplant recipient, was honored for his dedication and service with The NephCure Foundation Service Award. Also honored were John Morikis, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Sherwin-Williams Company, and Jim Gronfein, Senior Vice President of 20th Television, with the Alvin Levine Public Service Awards for their commitment to The NephCure Foundation’s mission of finding a cure to these two kidney diseases.
