108th Charity Ball.
Dear Friends,
It is my great pleasure to announce that the 108th Anniversary Charity Ball – For the Love of a Child – will be held on February 11, 2017, and will benefit the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. For more than a century, the historic Hotel del Coronado has provided the spectacular setting for the Charity Ball, San Diego’s longest running philanthropic event. Please plan to join us for this extraordinary celebration as the Tradition and our legacy continues.
Your participation in the 108th Anniversary Charity Ball Souvenir Program will support Rady Children’s commitment to discover new treatments and cures, and provide supportive care for the children of our region who battle cancer and blood disorders. We invite you to become an advertiser, sponsor, or underwriter for the 2017 Charity Ball.
The Charity Ball, which began in 1908, is San Diego’s oldest and most beloved philanthropic and social event. The proceeds have benefited Rady Children’s Hospital since the hospital first opened its doors in 1954. The Charity Ball is unique because it has no silent or live auctions or any other solicitations for funds during the event. Our Souvenir Program is the main source of fundraising and has provided a chronicle of philanthropic and volunteer spirit, and a fascinating history of the generosity of San Diego families and businesses.
Each year, the Charity Ball brings people together for a magical evening of dining, dancing and philanthropy. Your generosity provides a lifeline of hope, healing, and brighter futures for our most vulnerable children and their families.
Thank you for your investment in the well-being of our children though your participation in the Souvenir Program. I look forward to seeing you at the 108th Anniversary Charity Ball – For the Love of a Child.
With warm regards,
Chairman, 108th Anniversary Charity Ball
www.charityball-sd.org
For More Information & Reservations, Contact Lauren Root at (619) 222-5256 or A1000Saturdays@cox.net
The Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Julia’s Story
Julia was constantly waking up in the middle of the night with debilitating neck and back pain. X-rays revealed no serious orthopedic issues with the 6-year-old, but her parents, Jessica and Todd, knew something was dangerously wrong when one day she lost strength in her legs and collapsed while trying to climb a flight of stairs.
After much speculation, Julia’s primary care pediatrician referred her for an MRI at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego where physicians discovered an 8 cm mass compressing her spinal cord. The following day, this brave child underwent surgery to remove the tumor which gave her immediate pain relief, but there was more to the story. The tumor was cancerous neuroblastoma which had metastasized from her adrenal glands and spread throughout her body; she was considered stage 4 – the most serious designation for patients with cancer.
Just a few days after surgery, this little fighter began months of chemotherapy and later underwent a difficult resection surgery to remove additional tumors. She also joined a clinical trial of a new immunotherapy treatment in combination with low dose chemotherapy. In January of 2016, just a few days after her seventh birthday, physicians declared her NED: no evidence of disease. Julia still has years of scans ahead of her to be certain cancer does not return, and the possibility of additional treatments to keep her immune system healthy.
