Angel Ball, CHERUBS, Shane and Me on the news

News 14 Carolina did an interview today about our Masquerading Angels Ball! 

In Depth: Dawn Williamson, Cherubs

An event this weekend will help unmask the cause of a life-threatening condition among children that doesn't get a lot of attention. It's called congenital diaphragmatic hernia or CDH and News 14 Carolina's Tracey Early sits down with Dawn Williamson, the founder and president of the non profit group "Cherubs," to talk about this year's event.

Click here to view the full video.

Angel Ball Baskets in Memory of Shane & Debra

We can't buy them birthday presents or Christmas gifts.... so this is the next best thing.  Buying items they would love and donating them to a good cause.   It felt good to shop for them.   Miss them both so much...

Sesame Street basket donated in memory of my son, Shane, lost in 1999 at age 6 and a half from Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

This basket includes:

Sesame Street 40 Years of Sunny Days DVD
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland DVD
15" tall Plush Elmo Doll
Count Von Count 40th Anniversary Plush Doll
Abby Cadabby 40th Anniversary Plush Doll
Ernie 40th Anniversary Plush Doll
Sesame Street Busy Buddies Bubble Magnet Book
Elmo Socks (size 24-36 months)
Oscar the Grouch Socks (size 24-36 months)
Abby Cadabby Socks (size 24-36 months)
Hiking Sesame Street Friends Plastic Holographic Green Bowl & Cup Kid's Dish Set
Abby Cadabby Plastic Holographic Purple Bowl & Cup Kid's Dish Set
Elmo Goes to School Plastic Holographic Red Bowl & Cup Kid's Dish Set
Cookie Monster Figurine
Big Bird Figurine
Elmo Figurine
Sesame Street "Storybook ABC's" Book
Sesame Street "the Five Senses" Book
Sesame Street "S is for School" Book
Sesame Street "My Baby Brother Is A Little Monster" Book
Sesame Street "Way to Go, Zoe!" Book
Sesame Street "Let's Eat!" Book
Sesame Street "Red or Blue, I Like You!" Book
Sesame Street "Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time" Book
Sesame Street "Love, Elmo" Book
Sesame Street "Watch Out for Banana Peels and Other Important Sesame Saftey Tips" Book
Big Birds First Book of Letters Board Book
Cookie's First Book of Numbers Board Book
Abby's First Book of Shapes Board Book
Sesame Beginnings "Eyes & Nose, Fingers & Toes" Board Book
Sesame Beginnings "At the Zoo" Board Book
Sesame Beginnings "Bubbles, Bubbles" Board Book
"Fun With Friends" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book
"Animals All Around" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book
"Outdoors All Day" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book
"Festive Friends" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book
"Happy Holidays" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book
"Let's Pretend" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book with Stickers
"Rain or Shine" Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book with Stickers
Elmo Red & Big Bird Yellow Trianglur Crayons Set
Cookie Monster Blue & Oscar Green Trianglur Crayons Set
Cookie Monster Figural Stamper Friend
Big Bird Figural Stamper Friend
Elmo Figural Stamper Friend

Disney Basket in memory of my sister, Debra, who died in 2002 at 22 yrs old from Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

 

4 1-day Park Hopper Passes donated by Walt Disney Company, Inc.

The remainder of the basket was donated by myself, my husband and my parents.

This basket includes:

4 1-Day Disney Park Hopper Tickets to use at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom (tickets donated by Walt Disney World Co.)
Mickey Mouse Disney Beanz stuffed doll
Minnie Mouse Disney Beanz stuffed doll
Disney Princess Tea Set
Mickey Mouse Laptop Junior
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Wireless Microphone
Sleeping Beauty Tiara
Tinkerbell Socks (size 4-6)
101 Dalmations Socks (size 12-18 months)
Mickey Mouse Glow In the Dark Socks (Size 6-8)
Tickerbell Tooth Fairy Pillow
Tigger & Pooh Kaliedoscope
Winnie the Pooh Woodboard Puzzle
Disney Princess Poster Paint Set
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Numbers & Counting Learning Workbook
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Alphabet Learning Workbook
101 Dalmations Book
Alice in Wonderland Book
The Lion King Book
Peter Pan Books
Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Book
Beauty & The Beast Book
Aladdin Book
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Board Book
Nemo School Days "Colors" Board Book
Mickey's Trucks Board Book
Farmer Mickey Board Book
Alice in Wonderland "Counting" Board Book
Dumbo "Opposites" Board Book
101 Dalmations "Colors" Board Book
The Little Mermaid Soft Toddler Book
Winnie the Pooh Soft Toddler Book
Winnie the Pooh Figurine
Tigger Figurine

Working on the Angel Ball in memory of Shane

This is a huge event for me this year... along with the conferences that I'll talk about in some other posts.   Craig is planning a Golf Tournament and I'm planning an Angel Ball... both of us volunteering in memory of Shane.   I'm inviting everyone to buy tickets and join us at this wonderful event for a great cause!!!!!!

Tickets and Sponsorships are now available for our 2010 Angel Ball at the Hilton near Duke in Durham, NC

http://angelball.eventbrite.com/

http://www.cherubsangelball.org

CHERUBS Masquerading Angels Ball

October 30, 2010

Hilton near Duke, Durham, NC

Formal, black and white masquerade ball to benefit CHERUBS, a 501(c)III non-profit organization founded to help families affected by Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia through promoting and conducting research, raising awareness and supporting families through dozens of free services.

We have 4 celebrity guests so far!!!   Including a TV star and 3 time Grammy award winning musician. All will be announced soon!  :)

2010 CHERUBS Masquerading Angels Ball

October 30, 2010
6:00 pm - Midnight

Formal Charity Masquerade Ball on the eve of Halloween

Hiton Durham near Duke University
3800 Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC 22705

Event:  CHERUBS Masquerading Angels Ball

Date:  Saturday, October 30, 2010

Time:   6:00 - 7:00 cocktail hour, 7:00 - Midnight Ball

Location:   Hilton Durham near Duke University, 3800 Hillsborough Road, Durham, NC 22705

Beneficiary:  CHERUBS - The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Awareness and Support. Money raised from this event will go to CHERUBS to fund services to further help families of children born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.  CHERUBS is a 501(c)III international children's charity.

Attire:  Our FORMAL black and white masquerade ball encourages men to wear tuxedos and women to wear white.  Dust off your wedding dress ladies, you are encouraged to wear it again or you can opt for a little black dress.   FORMAL period costumes are welcome.   Masks are required, some will be provided.   Not acceptible; typical Halloween costumes and masks.

Tickets:  $50.00.  Tickets include entry to event, casino, auction, ballroom.  It also includes entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, drinks, 2 raffle tickets, 1 bar ticket, 2 casino chips.      http://angelball.eventbrite.com/

Age Requirement:  You must be 21 years old or older to attend.   CHERUBS reserves the right to refuse ticket sales when necessary.

Celebrity Guests:   Will be revealed soon!

Live Band:   Will be revealed soon!

Casino:   Take a spin on the roulette wheel or try your hand at blackjack in our Casino Lounge.

Silent Auction:   Come browse our auction items donated by celebrities, local artists, local businesses and members of the charity.

Photographs:   Have your formal portrait taken, a reminder of a wonderful night.

More details coming soon....

Our 2008 CHERUBS Angel Ball was a success!

The crepe myrles and lilies were gorgeous outside and the flowers were stunning inside.  The food was amazing, created by several local caterers who indeed created "An Angelic Taste of the Triangle".   The band was rock'n!   The Master of Ceremonies was charming.   The hostesses were beautiful.   The volunteers were incredible.   The auction was wonderful and exciting.   The raffles were fun.  The photographs are stunning.   The room was full of angels.

We danced, we ate, we bid on items and we learned about CDH.  All for a great cause and the event was fun and enchanting, thanks to our incredible event planners and the ladies at the Raleigh Junior Women's Club.

The entire night was magical - so magical that we even had a proposal at the event!   What better compliment is there than that?

photo by Mandy Sroka Photography

Our Organization:

CHERUBS is a 501(c)III organization located in North Carolina.   CHERUBS serves families of children and adults born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH).   As of April 2008, we have over 2250 members in all 50 states and 33 countries.  Our Board Members include the founding father of in-utero surgery, genetic counselors, epidemiologists, pediatric surgeons and parents of children born with CDH.  We are a volunteer-run organization and a United States Internal Revenue Service recognized 501(c)III Non-Profit Organization.

www.cdhsupport.org

What is CDH?

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) occurs in approximately 1 in every 2,500 births (1,600 cases in the U.S. each year).  The cause of CDH is not yet known.  The diaphragm is formed in the first trimester of pregnancy and controls the lungs' ability to inhale and exhale.  CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to form or to close totally and an opening allows abdominal organs into the chest cavity.  This inhibits lung growth.     The cause is not yet known.

Roughly 50% of babies born with CDH do not survive.   Of the 50% that do survive, most will endure long hospital stays, feeding issues, asthma and other problems.  A few of the survivors suffer from severe long-term medical issues.< CDH occurs as frequently as Spina Bifida and Cystic Fibrosis, yet there is very little research being done and virtually no media coverage.

CHERUBS Adopt A Hospital CDH Program - Duke University Medical Center adopted in memory of Shane Torrence

Shane Torrence

(1/28/93-9/11/99)
Left-Sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

The family of Shane Torrence has donated funds as part of our Adopt A Hospital program to send CDH materials to childrens' hospitals who treat babies born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Shane's family has chosen to adopt Duke University Medical Center, where Shane spent the first 10 months of his life. Donated were; CDH information poster, "Stories of Cherubs" Vols I & II, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Ribbon pins, Parent Reference Guides, Newsletters and brochures. This is enough CDH information for 100 families.