Merry-go-round fundraiser today at South Coast Plaza takes aim at cancer
It’s a ride worth ponying up for. Festival of Children Foundation, a nonprofit coordinating the efforts of charities to improve the lives of children, will host its “Carousel of Possible Dreams” fundraiser to benefit Friends of Cathryn Fund, a Laguna Beach-based organization raising money for neuroblastoma cancer research.
On Tuesday, civic, business and philanthropic leaders and Friends of Cathryn supporters may climb aboard a carousel at South Coast Plaza’s Carousel Court to sit in a saddle of an ornately carved horse and go round and round to raise the final round of donations on behalf of the fundraising goal.
The nostalgic appeal of the merry-go-round, whirling lights and piping organ music was an effort to create new memories while raising money for Friends of Cathryn, a foundation founded by Susan Giusto, whose 11-year-old daughter, Cathryn, is a neuroblastoma survivor.
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that develops from nerve tissue and usually occurs in infants and children, affecting about 800 children each year in the United States.
Giusto’s daughter had just turned 5 when she was diagnosed with the disease. In 2010, she was cleared, and that’s when Giusto started the foundation.
“My daughter is very lucky,” she said. “We wanted to raise funds to help doctors and scientists. Our goal was to help start better treatments, because chemotherapy wreaks havoc on a kid.”
Once Festival of Children founder and executive director Sandy Segerstrom Daniels heard about Giusto’s daughter’s diagnosis, she selected the fund as the recipient of fundraising.
“I was blown away,” Giusto said. “Sandy gave us the platform to launch our significant fundraising for our doctors.”
Giusto said she wishes to raise $500,000 in support of New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy, a group of top pediatric oncologists who specialize in neuroblastoma. She also wishes for proceeds to benefit Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, which provides neuroblastoma information and resources for families.
Through Tuesday, supporters may make donations at festivalofchildren.org/froc
The fundraiser is at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Carousel Court at South Coast Plaza. For more information, call (877) 492-5437 or visit festivalofchildren.org.