Celebrity Server Night helped family of anemia victim

March 20, 2013 · 0 Comments

Orangeville’s Boston Pizza hosted a Celebrity Server night recently in support of Jack’s Fight for a Cure.
The evening raised $400 — representing 10 per cent of the restaurant’s sales between 5 and 9 p.m. — that will help support the family of four-year-old Jack Pereira, who at 12 weeks of age was found to have an extremely rare form of anemia.
In 2009, Jack’s family had their lives turned upside down when the infant became extremely sick and was taken to hospital. There, Jack’s parents learned that his red cell count was very low, starving his organs of oxygen and turning his blood pink.
Jack was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow failure, Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), which affects fewer than 1,000 people in the world.
To date, Jack has needed almost 60 blood transfusions, but that hasn’t held him back. He graduated pre-school this year, and learned to play soccer and to ski.
Last year, the family was able to raise almost $50,000 at their biennial fundraising gala. Tickets are still available for this year’s gala, as well as sponsorship opportunities.
The 2013 gala is set for the evening of May 3, at the Caledon Country Club, 2121 Olde Baseline Rd. (near Inglewood).
That evening, Boston Pizza Orangeville will be sponsoring a kids’ corner, with craft and pizza for children under eight. Kids Pizza Tickets are now sold out.
The Expert Speaker on DBA this year will be Dr. Jeffrey Lipton from North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Long Island, NY. The guests of honour will be Dr. David Bodine of the National Institute of Health and Jason Crone, wheelchair rugby Paralympian and two-time medal winner for Team Canada.
For more information or to buy a ticket to this year’s gala go to http://jacksfightforacure.com.
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