By Deedee El bego
The Children’s Research Fund’s “Children’s Ball”
Celebrates Innovations in Research
Raising Over $2.6M for Lurie Children’s
ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Devanee Washington, Nancy Berberian, Tonya Geesman, Lori Gersten, Mimi Sherman, Donna Drescher, Rachel Drescher Smith, Heidi Wagman, Peter Bensinger, Jr.
Guests pictured raising paddles during the fundraising.
The event welcomed guests with music provided by The Middle School Jazz Band from the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. While the cocktail reception was decorated in black and white guests were in for a surprise when they stepped into the international Ballroom which held a fun contrast. Decorated in a rainbow of colors it illustrated the event’s theme “Color Outside the Lines” to shine a light on stories of innovation in research.
Cesar Marin, Sugey Barreto, Trish Perillo, Melanie Guardino, and actor Guy-Nardulli of Tulsa-King pictured at the event.
One of the evening’s most inspiring moments was a video about a 6-year-old, Mason Flessner, who participated in a clinical trial at Lurie Children’s for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder causing progressive muscle weakness. Mason’s care team, led by Drs. Nancy Kuntz and Abigail Schwaede, selected an FDA-approved gene therapy, ELEVIDYS, to slow the progression of his DMD. Thanks to this groundbreaking gene therapy, Mason can now run faster, climb stairs more easily, and even jump. His younger brother, 4-year-old Dawson, who also has DMD, is waiting to qualify for the gene therapy.
Dr. Abigail Schwaede pictured speaking at the event.
The evening also featured remarks from the Children’s Ball event co-chairs Mohan Rao, PhD and his wife Maria Yen, PhD, who spoke about the challenges of raising a child with life threatening food allergies and the impeccable care they received at Lurie Children’s. Since 1951, The Children’s Research Fund has had the sole purpose of raising funds to advance medical research. In 1991, the Children’s Research Fund began its affiliation with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and since that time has been promoting awareness of its mission through vigorous fundraising, education, outreach activities, and of course the Children’s Ball.
Victoria, Nadia, and Devanee Washington
Dance floor fun at the 2024 Children’s Ball |
Dawson, Lindsey, Mason, and Dan Flessner |
2024 Children’s Research Fund (CRF) Children’s Ball: Color Outside the Lines, Stories of Innovation in Research; Epsilon Economics, Presenting Sponsor; Left to right: Event Co-chairs Mohan Rao, PhD and Maria Yen, PhD, and Jen & John Plumpe |
2024 Children’s Research Fund (CRF) Children’s Ball: Color Outside the Lines, Stories of Innovation in Research; University of Chicago Laboratory Schools band; Christmas |
Jeff and Alexis McCall |
Alex and Nina Pancoe |
Dan and Kate Gibbons and Elizabeth and Damon Marano |
Steven Wilson, Karen Wilson, Jeff Munger, Maria Munger |
For information on the Children’s Ball, please visit crf.luriechildrens.org and follow the Children’s Research Fund on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter.
