Rancho Santa Fe Unit Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary: News and Announcements

Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary. Celebrating Life. Inspiring Hope.

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2008 GALA SPONSORS: February 5, 2008

The Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary will host Stand Up for Rady Children's Cancer Care Center, an Evening With Jay Leno at The Grand Del Mar on February 23. The sold out event will begin with a silent auction, cocktails and a variety of food stations, after which guests will move to theater-style seating for the live auction followed by a one-hour performance by comedian and philanthropist Jay Leno.
"Community interest in this event has exceeded all expectations," said 2008 Gala Chair Leslie DeGoler. "That would not have been possible if not for our sponsors."
Fisher Investments, an investment management company founded in 1979, signed on as the event's first major sponsor, thanks to Scott Stratton, the firm's local Vice President, whose personal financial contribution was instrumental in securing sponsorship funds from Fisher Investments.
In July the San Diego-based investment fund Relational Investors LLC founded by Ralph V. Whitworth, became a major sponsor. In Late August, before the Unit's Board Retreat, Integrated Pain Specialists joined the two investment firms. Kevin S. Smith, M.D., Medical Director of San-Diego based Integrated Pain Specialists, and his wife, Tammy, a Unit member, were title sponsors of the Unit's 2006 Gala, Sunset on the Serengeti.
"The backing of our first sponsors was impressive and reassuring," said DeGoler. "It reinforced our belief that changing the venue and format was a good decision and their support allowed us to run a full advertising campaign, which in turn brought in more sponsors."
In September Jet Source, the McClellan-Palomar Airport-based full service aviation firm agreed to be the event's fourth major sponsor. Other sponsors include: Casa Blanca Salon & Spa, Crest Beverage Company, Cytori, Essrig Taylor Construction, Holland America Line, Julie Howe Prudential California Realty, McCain, Pacific Capital Associates, Pamplemousse Grille, Seaside Home & Seaside Papery, and Valenti International. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rady Children's Cancer Care Center.
Rady Children's Hospital is a non-profit, community-based healthcare organization serving San Diego and Imperial counties, with a population of more than 760,000 children under age 17. The Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary consists of 73 active and 82 supporting members committed to supporting and sustaining excellent health care for all children in the greater San Diego community.

2008 GALA AUCTION: January 21, 2008

Community support has been tremendous for "Stand Up for Rady Children's Cancer Care Center, an Evening With Jay Leno," the fundraising event hosted by the Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital Auxiliary.
"I'm thrilled to report that we are completely sold out," said 2008 Gala Chair Leslie DeGoler. "We've had so many requests for seats, we've started a waiting list for people who are hopeful that current ticket holders' plans change and they are unable to use their tickets."
The annual fundraiser is a departure from the annual black tie gala, which has been the primary fundraiser for the past 11 years. The event will begin with cocktails and a variety of delectable food stations to choose from during the 2-hour silent auction.
"The committee has worked hard to secure hard-to-get, unusual items," said auction chair Angie Macaluso. "We have three hundred items, which has allowed us to put together over one hundred packages for our silent auction."
During silent auction several works of art will be offered for bidding, including an archival pigment print of Slot Canyon by donated by Kevin Connors of Coast Highway Photography and a hand pulled silkscreen print by David Hostetler, whose works appear in 25 museums and galleries throughout the world.
In the entertainment category, top items include weekend getaways in La Jolla, Del Mar and downtown San Diego. An opera soloist will provide entertainment during an in-home five-course gourmet winemaker dinner for eight by chef Peter Karp with wines by Buoncristiani. Event attendees can sign up for a September afternoon sail on America USA I, "Papa" Doug Manchester's private yacht, the 139' replica of he original schooner "America." Urban Kitchen will provide lunch on the sail for 80 people, and Decanter, Rancho Santa Fe's newest restaurant serving 200 wines by the glass, will provide a sommelier's selection of wines from a boutique producer.
In the ladies category, spa donations from Blue Star Body Lounge, an overnight stay with massages and lunch for two at Rancho Valencia, a shopping spree at South Coast Plaza, and an antique styled yellow diamond right hand ring are sure to please.
Destination packages include stays in San Francisco, Kauai, Oahu, Napa Valley, Big Bear, Palm Springs, and New York. Skiers can bid on ski condos in Aspen and Copper Mountain. Schubach Aviation donated a private flight for 7 to select southern California destinations.
After the silent auction, guests will move to theater seating for the live auction and signature portion of the evening: a one-hour Las Vegas style performance by comedian and philanthropist Jay Leno. The festivities will continue with cocktails, dessert and dancing. Mr. Leno will hold a private meet and greet with the event's top sponsors including: Fisher Investments, Relational Investors, Integrated Pain Specialists, and Jet Source. Proceeds will benefit the Rady Children's Cancer Care Center.

CANCER CARE NURSE: November 15, 2007

Ask Amy Crisman why she loves her job as a cancer care nurse at Rady Childrens Hospital and shell tell you its the amazing kids she loves most. They teach you whats important in life and not to take anything for granted.
Crisman, a 20-year cancer care nurse, spoke to members of the Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Childrens Hospital Auxiliary in October. The Units primary fundraising event, Stand Up for Rady Childrens Cancer Care Center, an Evening With Jay Leno, will be held February 23 with proceeds benefiting the hospitals Cancer Care Center.
Cancer kills more children than any other diseasemore than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. Last year, there were more than 12,601 visits to the Hematology/Oncology Care Center at Rady Childrens, more than half of which were for chemotherapy and other transfusion treatments. The hospitals Hematology/Oncology Cancer Care Center is the largest cancer care facility in San Diego and Imperial Counties and operates the countys only pediatric bone marrow transplant facility.
Since Crisman began her career as a cancer care nurse 20 years ago, the cancer care program has grown into a dedicated inpatient/outpatient oncology center with programs that extend beyond providing medical care, including psychological-social services to patients and their families during treatment. Programs include art and music therapy.
We help kids deal with cancer by involving them in play therapy and age-appropriate activities with the understanding that knowledge is power, said Crisman.
Special assistance is given to parents of cancer patients in the form of a notebook filled with information to inform and educate them about the process. A dedicated liaison facilitates communication between parents and physicians. Staff also assists with insurance problems and questions, taking care of other children in the family and other practicalities. A number of age-specific support groups are also available for teen-aged cancer patients and siblings of cancer patients.
Rady Childrens offers therapeutic services through its Integrative Medicine Program, which complement the medical treatment plan prescribed by the patients doctor. Services include healing touch, massage, acupuncture, meditation, nutritional education and yoga. The programs, designed to lessen the side effects of treatment and enhance quality of life, are available to patients and their families.
Palliative care nurses assist in critical cases to soothe anxieties and other intense emotions prior to a patient entering hospice care. By providing this additional layer of assistance to patients and families, and enabling children to do things they want and need to do, they help families with end of life decisions during one of the most difficult times in a parents life: the loss of a child.

For event tickets to Stand Up for Rady Childrens Cancer Care Center: An Evening With Jay Leno call 858-568-8642. Tickets are sold in blocks of ten at $10,000, $7,500, or $5,000. Individual tickets are available for $500 each. Seating is limited.

PROCEEDS HELP CHILDREN: October 18, 2007

Five year-old Samantha Archinal had a cold that wouldnt go away. After taking her to Rady Childrens Hospital, her parents received a call no parent is ever prepared for. Samantha was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Your life changes over night, said Samanthas mother, Kamie.
Cancer kills more children than any other diseasemore than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined. All children are potentially at risk because childhood cancers occur unpredictably and randomly, arising from non-inherited mutations.
Cancers in very young children are especially aggressive80 percent of children have metastasized cancer at the time of diagnosis compared to 20 percent of adults. Depending on the type of cancer and therapy plan, treatment can span several years.
Samantha was treated at Rady Childrens Hospital, whose Hematology/Oncology Cancer Care Center is the largest pediatric cancer care facility in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Her treatment plan included chemotherapy, steroids, monthly spinal taps and daily medication over the course of three years.
The Archinals had good private health insurance and Samantha, now 10, has been off treatment for two years. The financial burden of expenses not covered by insurance compounded the emotional trauma of caring for their sick child.
Even with really good insurance, you can spend $2,000 to $3,000 a month, said Archinal. One of the things that struck me, while we were going through this, was seeing these parents who didnt even have a ride to the hospital and they were going to take their sick child home and they had no heat, and no food. You cant even fathom it. It would just break my heart.
Over 50 percent of the children admitted to Rady Childrens Hospital have little or no private health insurance. This, combined with rising medical costs and diminishing reimbursements from federal and state governments, strains the hospitals resources even as it fulfills its mission to provide the best care possible for every sick child who walks through the doors.
To aid those children whose battle against cancer is still being waged, the Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Childrens Hospital Auxiliary will host their 12th annual fundraising event Saturday, February 23, 2008 from 6:00 PM to 12:00 midnight at The Grand Del Mar. Proceeds from Stand Up for Rady Childrens Cancer Care Center, An Evening With Jay Leno will benefit the Rady Childrens Cancer Care Center.
After cocktails, a silent auction, and a variety of delectable food station offerings to suit all tastes, guests will move to theater seating for the live auction. Prior to the signature portion of the evening, a Las Vegas style performance by Jay Leno, attendees will have an opportunity to directly fund the chemotherapy treatments necessary to keep children, like Samantha, alive.

For event tickets to Stand Up for Rady Childrens Cancer Care Center: An Evening With Jay Leno call 858-568-8642. Tickets are sold in blocks of ten at $10,000, $7,500, or $5,000. Individual tickets are available for $500 each. Seating is limited.

NEW MEMBER BRUNCH: September 20, 2007

The Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital held their prospective new member brunch last week at Elise Molin's home in The Bridges. Seventeen current members invited 19 prospective members to attend the brunch, meet other members, and hear about the auxiliary's mission and auxiliary-wide fundraising events, including Kids’ NewsDay, Holiday on Broadway, and Fantasy on Ice.
Current members introduced prospective members, and spoke about in-unit fundraisers. Dawn Clark, Esprit de Corp Chair announced the first Esprit de Corp event coming up October 11th. Ally Wise, Holiday Luncheon Chair, spoke about the Holiday Luncheon & Boutique, which will be held November 29th at the Crosby. Leslie DeGoler, 2008 Ways and Means Chair, presented the unit's primary fundraising event, Stand Up for Rady Children's Cancer Care Center, An Evening with Jay Leno. The event, which will be held at the Grand Del Mar on February 23, 2008, will include cocktails, an informal dinner with a variety of food stations to suit all tastes, and silent and live auctions. Tickets went on sale the first week of September and proceeds will benefit the Hospital's Department of Hematology/Oncology.

To join the Rancho Santa Fe unit, contact Elise Molin at (858) 504-0798. For tickets to Stand Up for Rady Children's Cancer Care Center, contact Michelle Pius at (858) 568-8642. For underwriting opportunities, contact Leslie DeGoler at (619) 985-1351.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: September 6, 2007

For the past 11 years, the Rancho Santa Fe Unit of Rady Children's Hospital has held a black tie gala at a private residence in Rancho Santa Fe for their annual fundraiser. While this annual event has been very well attended and supported by the community throughout the years, according to 2008 Gala Chair, Leslie DeGoler, a format and venue change is in store for the February 23 event.
"Our main objective is to support the hospital by raising funds to care for sick children here in San Diego, "said DeGoler. "While this is a tremendously worthy cause we realize there are other causes, many of which our members also support, and come gala season these events compete for attention. "
Cathy Polk, 2007-2008 Unit Chair, surveyed guests who attended the 2007 gala for input and suggestions on refreshing the format in order to host an event that would retain long-time supporters while bringing in new supporters. Those suggestions led the unit to present an evening with an outstanding, exciting entertainer.
Cocktails and an informal dinner atmosphere with a large variety of food station selections to suit all tastes are planned during the two-hour silent auction. Guests will move to theater-style seating for the live auction followed by a one-hour performance by comedian and philanthropist Jay Leno. The fundraiser will conclude with dessert and dancing until midnight. Dress for the event is cocktail attire.
"The hospital is 100 percent behind the changes and our choice, " said Polk. "It will be a night to remember. "
Fisher Investments and Relational Investors LLC are the first sponsors lined up to underwrite Stand Up for Rady Children's Cancer Care Center: An Evening With Jay Leno.

Call 858-568-8642 for tickets. Seating is available in groups of 10 at $10,000, $7,500, $5,000 and $3,000. Seating at all levels is limited.