REBEL SPIRIT MUSIC

Doctors Without Borders * Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. Danit Aronson has been working on raising funds for this organization since the recent tragedy in Haiti ~ here are the reasons why she is July’s Rebel With A Cause:

Q. WHO are you fighting for?

A. The Haitian People.

Q. WHAT motivated you to get involved?

A. My family comes from Haiti and I still have many relatives living there. I hear firsthand stories of the struggles in Haiti on a regular basis and want to contribute in whatever way I can. Haiti is a very corrupt country and monetary contributions- although thoughtful- do not end up helping the Haitian people as often as we’d like. I would prefer to support doctors who can go to Haiti and directly impact the well being of Haitian people in need help. My family in Haiti has repeatedly told me of the good work done by Doctors Without Borders, who have been on the ground in Haiti for many years- so I have chosen to support them in their endeavors.

Q. WHEN did you begin to take initiative?

A. January ~ after the catastrophic earthquake.

Q. WHERE can people go to make a contribution?

A. You can make a donation by visiting DANIT HAITI on FIRST GIVING.

Q. HOW will you continue to raise awareness in the future?

A. Beyond events- i am also selling t-shirts designed by artists from around the world with a variety of support messages for Haiti. T-shirts are a great way to perpetuate awareness around a cause and keep a message alive. If you would like to buy a t-shirt please visit MulteePurpose and search “I Heart Haiti.”

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One month before her 14th birthday, Karyn Glick was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Despite receiving the best treatment available, including a bone marrow transplant, Karyn succumbed to the disease just eleven months later on March 18, 1996. From Karyn’s death and the loss sustained by her family and friends, the Karyn Research Fund was born.

The Karyn Research Fund supports a Fellow from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America whose research focuses on earlier detection, improved treatment, and ultimately, the prevention of pediatric cancers. The Fund also supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the single largest center in the US dedicated to the treatment and research of pediatric cancer and other childhood catastrophic diseases. We hope and anticipate that one day soon a humane and effective cure will be found so that no one else will have to suffer the loss of a beloved child, sibling, friend or valued community member to this terrible disease.

Seven years ago, Party at the Piers was created as a means of building financial support for the Karyn Research Fund. Having raised over $175,000 thus far, it has been a huge success thanks to the huge crowds and charitable donations. Each year Party at the Piers celebrates the memory of a vivacious, witty, and generous friend. We hope you’ll join us on Saturday night, June 5!

Rebel Spirit recently caught up with Lissy Carr, who played a monumental part in starting Party at the Piers, in memory of her friend Karyn Glick. On Tuesday, June 8th at Flux Studios we will be raising funds to assist Lissy and the rest of the team on reaching their fundraiser goals! Come on down and give!

Q. WHO are you fighting for?

A. The Karyn Research Fund, which funds research to cure pediatric cancer.

Q. WHAT motivated you to get involved?

A. My best friend Karyn Glick passed away in 1996 and her parents started the fund to try and ensure that no other children, brothers, sisters, or friends would suffer as she did.

Q. WHEN did you begin to take initiative?

A. In 2003 with the first annual Party at the Piers, one of the major fundraisers for the Karyn Research Fund. In addition, the Karyn Research Fund benefits from Kilometers for Karyn, a 5k Run/Walk held on the first Sunday of every June.

Q. WHERE can people go to make a contribution?

A. Party At The Piers or at The Karyn Fund

Q. HOW will you continue to raise awareness in the future?

A. Party at the Piers and Kilometers for Karyn are both events that raise money for the fund every June. We hope that people will join us to have fun at both while raising money for a great cause.

Tomorrow night is the 7th Annual Party at the Piers in honor of Karyn and every other child, family and friend who have experience battling this form of cancer. Click the flier to donate or reserve your tickets!!!

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At the end of May, Saul Goldberg and Augustin Quancard, are set to embark on a grueling 2-month long cycling challenge from Seattle to New York in a joint fund-raising effort with with Project ALS to support the scientific research that will eventually find a cure for a deteriorating disease. MOVE FOR ALS is a fund-raising campaign inspired by Tony Judt, an accredited author, noted historian and brilliant NYU professor. Rebel Spirit Music recently caught up with Saul Goldberg, a former student of Judt’s, to talk about the inspiration to raise awareness, and, the motivation to find a way to cure the devastation ALS victims [including family + friends + fans] endure.

Q. WHO are you fighting for?
A. Project A.L.S. in their search for a cure for the deadly disease ALS (aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease or Motor Neuron Disease).

Q. WHAT motivated you to get involved?
A. Watching ALS transform my friend Tony Judt from a fit, active, dynamic man to a shriveled body in a wheelchair.

Q. WHEN did you begin to take initiative?
A. February 2010

Q. WHERE can people go to make a contribution?
A. www.moveforals.com

Q. WHY ride your bike all the way across the country?
A. Why not?

Q. HOW will you continue to raise awareness after your journey?
A. We plan a homecoming event in July in conjunction with Project A.L.S. Check the site regularly for updates!

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and Motor Neuron Disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative closely related to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s that can affect adults of all ages. ALS targets large brain cells residing along the spinal cord called motor neurons. The motor neurons sick then die causing a person to progressively lose the ability to walk, speak, swallow, breathe or MOVE, and, despite the brain remaining alive and kicking, ALS is usually fatal within 2-5 years of diagnosis. In 1869, Jean-Martin Charcot first identified ALS ~ seventy years later, baseball player Lou Gehrig died of the disease ~ then in September 2008, nearly seventy years later, historian Tony Judt was diagnosed with Lou Gehris’s Disease. Despite the history of the ALS, very little has been learned about it since being discovered in 1869 ~ today, whatever you want to nickname this devastating disease, it still continues to remain a medical mystery plus one unknown cure.