Roaring For a Cure: One Dad’s Mission To Save His Son

August 21st, 2010

Come one come all to the second annual “Roar for a Cure” Carnival in East Hampton, N.Y., on August 21, to benefit the Max Cure Foundation, which David and Annemarie Plotkin started to help find a cure for rare cancers like the one that threatened their seven-year-old son Max’s life.

picture_1.pngFour years ago, David and Annemarie Plotkin’s life revolved around taking their young sons to the playground, on play dates and to the beach, where they spent hours digging in the sand and scurrying from the waves as they crashed to shore.

All that changed on May 2, 2007 the day before their son Max’s fourth birthday, when they learned that he had cancer. And not just any cancer. Max was diagnosed with a rare B-cell lymphoma that even the doctors at the renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York City had never seen before.

“It was as if someone stuck their hand down my throat, ripped my soul out of my body and smashed it to the ground,” says Plotkin, 37, managing director of equity trading at an investment bank, who lives in Manhattan with his wife Annemarie, and their children, Max, now seven, Alexander, five, and Ella, one (above right).

They were hopeful — until they learned that the cancer had spread and was now considered Stage IV. They also learned that like other rare diseases, little research was being done on Max’s type of cancer because funding was almost non-existent.

Plotkin, a former all-state athlete who laughs easily but admits he can also be “hard core” when necessary, vowed to use his considerable energies and network of friends to make a difference. A big difference. “The only way you can fight cancer is to face it,” he says. “As difficult as it was to accept the fact that Max was fighting a potentially life-threatening disease, we decided to take a stand against it.”

With a roar.

The day before Max started his chemo, David took Dr. Paul Meyers, MSK’s vice chairman of the pediatrics, aside and said, “Please save my son, and I promise you that I will dedicate the rest of my life to raising the funds and awareness that you and your team need to cure cancer in children.”

20090822_roar_cure_1386.jpgMeyers had told Plotkin that the cancer center wanted to underwrite a $5 million, one-of-a-kind cell therapy lab dedicated to alternative treatments and innovative research. But they lacked the funding to do it.

“This lab will save children and allow them to live a healthy life,” says Plotkin. “Chemotherapy is poison they use to kill the cancer. The side effects are brutal. This lab will use targeted cell therapy and lessen the use of the intense chemotherapy, resulting in fewer side effects.”

With the help of his father, Richard, and Annemarie, Plotkin (at left, with Max) got to work. Three weeks after Max began his chemotherapy treatments, they founded The Max Cure Fund to raise money for pediatric cancer research at MSKCC and shortly after, The Max Cure Foundation to help doctors support families dealing with pediatric cancer.

“Like any dad, I wanted to do whatever I could to help save my child’s life,” he says. But Plotkin is no ordinary dad. Since 2007, the foundation has raised nearly $1 million. They grossed $350,000 at their first annual Roar for a Cure carnival in East Hampton last August, which drew a crowd of more than a thousand. “We appreciate the support of everyone who came to the carnival as well as those who donated to it,” he says. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

The carnival — and the foundation — embrace a lion theme “because Max always took his stuffed lion with him to the hospital because he said it made him brave,” says Plotkin.

On Saturday August 21, they are holding their second-annual Roar for a Cure carnival at East Hampton Indoor Tennis in East Hampton, N.Y., which will feature inflatable slides, miniature golf, a rock wall, a country-style picnic, auctions and Radio Disney.

Among the celebrities expected to attend are Christie Brinkley (below right) and Mad Men’s Bryan Batt. Camp Rock star Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and Stephen Jerzak, (whose single, “She Said,” features Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester) will perform. Former New York Knicks star John Starks and other pro-athletes will be on hand for autographs and photos.

roarcure.jpgLike last year, a portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit Katy’s Courage Fund, which is helping 11-year-old Katy Stewart (at right) from Sag Harbor, N.Y., as she battles a rare form of liver cancer. “We want to do whatever we can to help her,” says Plotkin. “That’s the whole purpose of the foundation.”

The event will also help fund Dr. Oren Becher’s Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Fund in memory of Lily Taubin, who lost her battle at the age of five from a lethal brain tumor in 2009.

“We could never have gotten to this point without the help of some very special people,” says Plotkin. “They know who they are, and I am forever grateful. ”

The Journey

Raising money to help find a cure for pediatric cancers isn’t the only thing Plotkin is doing to help kids and their families.

To help him cope with his son’s cancer and to chronicle their arduous journey together, Plotkin began writing country songs about a father and son who give their all to overcome obstacles they face.

Plotkin says he was amazed at how well Max responded to the songs and their touching lyrics.”The doctors said Max’s energy level was different than the other kids and wanted to know what we were doing differently,” says Plotkin. “I said to Max, ‘You are so brave. How do you do it?’ He said, “Daddy, I sing your songs to myself during the tough days.’ So I kept writing.”

Plotkin says he is no musician and has never played an instrument in his life. “These are just words from my heart,” he says. “God gave me this gift at a time when I needed it and Max needed it.”

20090822_roar_cure_0829.jpgPlotkin teamed up with Tom Nieman, an aspiring songwriter/musician who put his words to music and traveled to Nashville with him to try to get their record made. “We were an unlikely pair,” says Plotkin. “Tom is gray-haired with a 70s-style, rock’n'roll mustache. He lives in a cabin-like house in New Jersey, and drives a pick-up truck. I live in Manhattan, trade stocks and vacation in the Hamptons. But there we were, him in his cowboy hat and Wrangler jeans and me in black loafers and a pink polo shirt, knocking on doors in Nashville.”

Award-winning producer Ian Eskelin, agreed to produce The Journey, which is available on iTunes.com, with a portion of the proceeds going to the foundation. “I wanted to make the album because I thought there will be a day when I’m gone and Max won’t remember much about our journey together. I wanted him to see just how special he was to me, and to know that I was with him all the way. If the songs can help others through their journey, all the better.”

Plotkin faced yet another hurdle in 2008 when he suffered a heart attack — at 36. “The paramedics said they thought I was having a panic attack,” he says. “Panic attack? I was a block away from the World Trade Center on 9/11 when the towers came down, and have dealt with my son’s cancer for more than a year now. I said, ‘I’m no Tony Soprano. Take me to the hospital, now.’”

Doctors told him that stress from dealing with Max’s cancer contributed to the heart attack. Even that scare didn’t slow him down. “Six weeks later, I ran the New York City Marathon again to show Max I could do it.”

Branching Out

Besides spending time with his family, managing a multi-million dollar trading desk, and trying to raise $5 million for cancer research, Plotkin is working on creating a franchise called Be Brave, “which will be to pediatric cancer what LIVESTRONG and the pink ribbon are to their respective causes,” he says. “We’re going to tell Max’s story through the life of lions in the jungle. It’s hard to talk to children about adversity and being different. But you can teach them through animation. We intend to do that with a bald lion cub named Lion Max who is determined to be brave, as he faces obstacles in the jungle.”

He is working on developing Be Brave programs for children, merchandising, children’s books, an animated film, a reality TV series, and a Broadway musical, which will all benefit the foundation. He’s also written a nonfiction book about his journey called In a Blink: One Boy’s harrowing Diagnosis, A Family’s Inspirational Journey, with Adam Gittlin, author of The Deal.

20090822_roar_cure_0439.jpg

A Father’s Hope

Max has been cancer-free for more than a year now. He has returned to school and is living the life of a “somewhat normal child,” says Plotkin. “He’s a special kid. He’s my forever hero.”

Plotkin shrugs off any praise for what he’s done so far to help cancer-stricken children everywhere. “When you go through an unexpected, life-changing experience, especially one that involves your child, your true life’s purpose is defined,” says Plotkin.

“Everything I’ve done in the past three years — and will continue to do — is out of the love for my children. But I’m also fulfilling a promise I made. I remember whispering in Max’s ear the night of his diagnosis, while he was sleeping, that we would beat this together. I promised him that something good would come from this — that Daddy would see to it.”

We at CharityHappenings.org and Tonic thank the Plotkins and the amazing doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for all they are doing to help children with cancer all over the world. You are true Tonic heroes!

Photos courtesy of The Max Cure Foundation.

Story by KC Baker Originally posted on Tonic

Brits Bare All for Record-Breaking Charity Rollercoaster Ride

August 10th, 2010

Flying through the air naked seemed like the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning for these brave thrill-seekers in Essex.

naked_5_r.jpgStripping for charity is one thing but ditching your clothes and heading for the nearest rollercoaster takes some serious nerve. It happened this weekend in the UK, when 102 thrill-seekers took off on a record-breaking naked rollercoaster ride — raising heaps of cash for charity in the process.

Waiting for the ride to start at Southend’s Adventure Island in Essex on Sunday was Justine Kilworth and her pals, reports BBC News. “I have cervical cancer and I’m currently in chemotherapy,” she said, giving a friend next to her a hug, she added: “It’s a brilliant cause, and it’s good fun!”

After the safety bars were checked (cue one very red-faced member of staff) the naked riders took off and the ride had to run three times in order for everyone to take part. Adventure Island boss Philip Miller said: “People have traveled from all over the UK to take part and we’ve heard some amazing stories from so many who have been directly, or indirectly, affected by cancer and wanted to give something back.”

naked_1_r.jpgAnd that’s exactly what they did. The nude do-gooders managed to raise almost $35,000 for Southend Hospital’s Bosom Pals Appeal. All the money raised will go towards buying new state-of-the-art mammogram machines for the hospital’s breast cancer unit.

Oh, and they broke the world record for the number of people riding a rollercoaster naked (yes it really does exist) — a title previously held by a group of 32 Brits who took a naked ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire six years ago. With screams of “again! again!” being heard after the ride came to an end, we can only assume a good time was had by all.

To donate to the fund, please click here.

Photos by Jo Curtis Photographer.

Story by Monique Jessen Originally posted on Tonic.

Natalie Morales: Show Your Muscle for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

August 8th, 2010

Inspired by a friend with ALS, NBC News’ Natalie Morales joins forces with the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Muscle Team, a group of celebrity ambassadors dedicated to building awareness for the MDA.

As national correspondent and co-anchor mda_muscle_natalie_morales_sm.jpgof the third hour of NBC’s Today, Natalie Morales has covered everything from the 9/11 attacks to presidential elections — and has met some of the world’s most interesting and inspiring people along the way.

But she was more than struck when she interviewed Life Fitness founder Augie Nieto in 2006 for Today, just after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In the years since Morales first met Nieto, the disease has robbed him of his ability to talk, walk and eat. Despite the challenges he now faces, he is living a full life, surrounded by family and friends — and raising millions for research for ALS through his charity, Augie’s Quest.

“To this day, he is the most inspirational person I have ever met in my life,” Morales tells Tonic. “People always ask me who’s been the best person I’ve ever interviewed and which celebrities I’ve liked interviewing. I tell them that it’s the people who show you that you can rise above and beyond what life hands you who impress me the most — and Augie is a true example of that. He has so much courage.”

Nieto is also the most positive person Morales says she has ever met. “He has said to me, ‘A lot of people would say this is a death sentence, but to me, this is a life sentence,” says Morales. “He said that he wants to show people with ALS how they can live a full life and do a world of good knowing they have this disease.”

Morales: Lending a Powerful Helping Hand

With Nieto as a powerful role model, Morales is doing her part to help find a cure for ALS and other debilitating diseases. Not only has she done several stories on Nieto and Augie’s Quest for Today, she recently joined the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Muscle Team, a group of celebrity ambassadors dedicated to building awareness for the MDA, which is trying to raise funding for research for 43 neuromuscular diseases including ALS.

On the August 6 edition of Today, she unveiled her new print ad for MDA’s Make a Muscle, Make a Difference campaign — the same day it debuted in USA Today. Like former Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell, who lost her mom to ALS, The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney and Dancing with the Stars’ Tom Bergeron and other celebrities, Morales shot a public service announcement for the MDA campaign. On top of that, Morales is also taping a special appeal for Jerry Lewis‘ upcoming MDA Telethon.

“Natalie knows how important our lifesaving mission is, having previously interviewed athletic equipment pioneer Augie Nieto,” said MDA President & CEO Gerald C. Weinberg on MDA.org. “Augie has remarkably raised more than $23 million for MDA-sponsored ALS research since being diagnosed with the rapidly progressive muscle disease.”

Morales hopes the campaign will inspire others to help. “I am hoping to raise awareness for all of these various neuromuscular diseases,” she says. “I have seen and covered too many stories where sadly, you see what parents are going through when a child is sick, and even later in life, you see what adults, like my friend Augie, go through with these diseases.”

augie_and_lynne.jpgAugie Nieto: One of the World’s True Heroes

Morales is impressed not just with all the good that Nieto has done to try to find a cure for ALS — but his indomitable spirit in the face of a devastating diagnosis. “It’s amazing to see everything he has been able to do,” she says. “I admire him so much.”

Nieto, a self-described fitness buff, was vacationing with his family in 2005 when he lost all feeling in his arms. His doctors ran all kinds of tests before giving him the most devastating news he had received in his life: that he had ALS. “He said to me at the time: ‘That’s the one time you wish you were diagnosed with MS,’” says Morales.

Patients who are diagnosed with ALS are given just three to five years to live. “It’s a death sentence,” says Morales. “There’s nothing you can do when you get the diagnosis. His doctor told him to spend as much time as he could with his family and to get his affairs in order,” says Morales.”He said, ‘I’m not going to spend my life that way.’” For him, it was a call to action.

“He is spending time with his family and his wife, Lynne, who is a pillar of strength, but he also wants to get everybody involved in this initiative because to him it’s unacceptable that they don’t know anything about ALS. They don’t know what causes it. And there’s no cure.”

Shortly after his diagnosis, Nieto teamed up with the MDA and founded Augie’s Quest to raise much-needed funding for ALS. “Since ALS is an orphan disease (5,000 to 6,000 people a year die from ALS), a lot of pharmaceutical companies won’t touch it or do research on it because they know within five years their subjects — whoever they are studying — aren’t going to be there,” she says. “And the likelihood of a drug being profitable for an orphan disease is very slim.”

Nieto, who announced on Today in 2009 that he and his wife, Lynne (the couple, above left), are aiming to raise $30 million for ALS research by 2014, has been given numerous awards for his work with Augie’s Quest, including the National Association of Hispanic Journalists‘ prestigious President’s Award in 2008. Then-NAHJ President Rafael Olmeda cited Nieto as someone who, without fanfare, put a “Latino face on an American story.”

In 2009, Five for Fighting wrote a song in Nieto’s honor to help raise money for Augie’s Quest.

Nieto is the kind of guy who can tell you what the true meaning of life is, she says. “He said to me, ‘I’ve never felt more loved or more needed,’ says Morales. “Sadly, he said, you don’t realize all that you value in life until you have it almost taken away from you. This has been a long goodbye that has allowed me to tell everybody I love and know how much I treasure them.”

Indeed, in Nieto’s most recent interview with Morales on Today in 2009, he told her that he has never felt happier in his life than in the five years since he received his diagnosis. “When your family and friends think you’re at the end of your life, they say things normally reserved for your eulogy,” he told her. “When they say these remarks, it makes you feel proud of the impact you had on family and friends and people you’ve worked with.”

But since Morales’ first interview with Nieto four years ago, she has sadly seen his condition rapidly decline. When she first interviewed him, he was able to walk and talk, though his speech was slurred. “He can’t type or talk anymore, so he communicates with a retinal eye scanner from Dynavox. This new technology reads the retina of his eyes when he is looking at a computer screen and can tell what letters he’s looking at. When I send him an email, he sends one back in an hour or so.”

Despite his deteriorating condition, he remains as busy as ever. He joined the board of directors of Dynavox in 2009, because of his business acumen — and because he has seen firsthand how much it has helped improve his quality of life.

Since his diagnosis, Nieto has also written two books since his diagnosis: Augie’s Quest: One Man’s Journey From Success to Significance, with co-author T.R. Pearson and a forward by Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Ablom, and Reciprocity, Incorporated: Give Versus Take: The Secret of Successful, with a forward by Lance Armstrong. “In that book, he interviewed more than 30 CEOs, talking about the importance of giving and how when life deals you its biggest blows, you can make it a true blessing.”

With all that Nieto has accomplished — and is still accomplishing, “he is showing people that you don’t have to go silently,” says Morales. “He hopes that by showing others how to live life to the fullest, more drug companies will invest in research more and look for a cause and a cure for ALS and other neuromuscular diseases. He is trying to make sure that our attention doesn’t go away from these diseases.”

So is Morales. She teamed up with MDA because she says, “it’s important to me that we remind everyone that their charitable dollars do go a long way. Not much was known about any of these diseases 50 years ago, but because of the MDA, look how far we’ve come and how much the quality of life has improved for so many people.

“All of the research for any muscular or neuromuscular diseases that you read about or that they teach in med school comes from the support of the MDA. Jerry’s Kids and all of the MDA campaigns have done a world of good, but there’s still no cure for many of these illnesses.

“My goal is to continue to shine the spotlight on these diseases and encourage people to continue to make donations because it is their dollars that have allowed the MDA to make such strides.”

Photo courtesy of MDA.

Article by KC Baker Originally published on Tonic

Twelve-Year-Old Marches 2,500 Miles for Charity

July 30th, 2010

While his peers are saving up for a Wii, hanging out at the mall, or maybe texting their friends, Zachary Bonner is drawing the attention of Presidents, rock stars and Hollywood — by making a difference for the 1.3 million homeless children living in the US.

zachmarch.jpgSome kids walk to school. Some kids walk for fun. This summer, Zachary Bonner, 12, is walking 2500 miles across America to raise money and awareness for homeless children.

His journey began on March 23 in Tampa (at right) and is expected to end Sept. 14 when he steps onto the Santa Monica Pier in California accompanied by scores of homeless kids.

“He enjoys making other children happy,” says his mom. But it’s a little more complicated—and impressive—than that.

Bonner’s to-do list reads something like this: Start a charity? Check. Raise hundreds of thousands of dollars? Check. Be the subject of a Hollywood biopic? Check. And do this all before most kids have taken middle school algebra? Why, of course, check.

When Tonic caught up with him on July 28, Bonner had just walked 15 miles to Phoenix in 100-degree heat, with a chest cold. Each day, he and his 44-year-old mom, Laurie, usually get up at 3:30 am. to start walking together by 5 to avoid the flaming heat, and usually manage to log 20 to 25 miles before they finish for the day. “We joke that it’s 90 by 9. Today it was like 97 by 10,” says Zach. “Of course, the last couple of days I’ve been sick. It’s harder to walk when you’re sick.”

zach_with_red_wagon.jpgIt all started with a hurricane and a little red wagon — specifically, Hurricane Charley in 2004, which hit his home state of Florida pretty hard; and his Radio Flyer wagon, which the then 6-year-old took around to collect donations of water and supplies for families left homeless by the storm. With his mother’s help, he turned in the donations at a collection and distribution center, and the media, which caught wind of his contributions, dubbed him “the little red wagon boy.” So when he decided to continue his missions of helping youngsters displaced by natural disaster or the economy and inspiring other kids to make a difference, Zach settled on the name the Little Red Wagon Foundation. “We decided to name it the Little Red Wagon Foundation because the name fit with what we were doing. A little red wagon is a symbol of childhood and we’re trying to help kids,” says Zach.

For most kids, a little red wagon is a plaything. For this 12 year old, it’s the cart that holds his hopes for good in the world — specifically for homeless children.

Not His First Walk

zach_and_michael_guillen.jpgZach’s coast-to-coast journey can be tracked at MarchAcrossAmerica.com, but this walk may not even be the most remarkable thing about Zachary, nor is it even his first walk. In November, 2007, he began a 1,225 mile long “My House to the White House” walk from Tampa to Washington, D.C., completed in three separate legs, ending last summer when he was welcomed at ceremonies in front of the Capitol building (right) by Michael Guillen, the president of Philanthropy Project.

By any measure, Zachary is an unusual kid. He completed the coursework for kindergarten, first and second grade by the time he finished kindergarten. He counts Elton John and President Clinton among his friends. He takes all his coursework online with a state-certified teacher, is usually a grade or two ahead, and this summer, he’s taking Latin for fun, practicing on his mom.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty cool.’ I told him, ‘But I don’t know who you’re going to have a conversation with,’” says Laurie.

He’s an adept networker both online (he tweets, texts and blogs) and in person. During his first walk, he happened to meet Elton John, whom he admires for his significant philanthropic work, and he has continued his relationship with the pop performer ever since. In fact, the famed singer/songwriter has promised to donate $50,000 if Zachary makes it all the way to LA. And after learning about the Clinton Foundation by listening to Clinton’s book on tape, he once wrote a letter to the former president, saying, “Hi, I’m Zach. I’m 7. You have a foundation. I have a foundation. Let’s compare notes,” and they did.

“I thought, ‘He’ll never hear back,’ but sure enough, three months later President Clinton was coming down to Orlando for another event and his scheduler called and said he’d like to meet Zach. Then after that, Zach started writing him and telling him what he was doing,” says Laurie.

zachmiss.jpgHis skill, intelligence, dedication and keen marketing ideas have helped his charity grow significantly. The Little Red Wagon Foundation mostly provides school supplies, food, clothing and toys to homeless children and for two years, after Hurricane Katrina, he hosted a Christmas party for all the residents of Renaissance Village, the largest FEMA trailer park and home to 2,000 evacuees. One creative fundraising idea is called “24 Hours” and it’s a once-a-year organized event at locations throughout Florida in which children simulate a day as a homeless person, creating their own cardboard box to inhabit for the 24-hour period. In 2008, the organization raised about $53,000 and this year, Laurie says that Zachary has received pledges of cash or in-kind donations of about $120,000 from various sponsors.

“He has such a compassion for others and such a pure heart about it. He doesn’t care if anybody even knows what he’s done. He knows he has to raise awareness but its not about patting himself on the back,” says his mom.

For fun, Zach enjoys playing tennis, swimming in the pool and hanging out with his friends, although many of his friends (people he’s met through his charity work) are in high school or college. And someday, he hopes to go to college himself to pursue a career as a prosecuting attorney.

“It’s my hope that this will always be a part of my life — whether larger or smaller. I hope it will always be a part of my life regardless of my career choice,” says Zach.

And, these days as Zach is making his way across the burning deserts of the southwest, in Charleston, S.C., there is a stage set recreating his life’s story for the film Little Red Wagon that is being directed by David Anspaugh (Rudy, Hoosiers), written by Patrick Sheane Duncan (Mr. Holland’s Opus) and produced by Philanthropy Project, a nonprofit initiative committed to using film to inspire everyone to become a philanthropist. The film is due to be released in 2011.

“It’s pretty exciting because I hope through the movie that it will bring a lot of awareness,” says Zach, “and, in a sense, to inspire other youth to get involved with their community to either start doing something themselves or join somebody else’s effort.”

Photos courtesy of the Philanthropy Project and the Bonner family.

Story by Anne Driscoll Originally posted on Tonic.

Like Water for Liberia

July 27th, 2010

Saran Kaba Jones believes in the dynamic, prosperous Liberia she left behind as a child when her homeland was on the cusp of war. Twenty years later, she returns with the belief that everyone deserves clean water, at the very least.

face_africa.jpgSaran Kaba Jones (at right) is the daughter of a professor father, Brahima, and entrepreneurial mother, Fatima, who remembers her childhood in Liberia with a large four-bedroom, two bathroom home as bucolic as it was peaceful. There were fields growing tomatoes, peppers, cassava leaves and potato greens. There was a large yard where she played with her brothers Omar, Abass and Mousa among the chickens and goats that roamed freely.

In 1989, when she was eight, the family left the country where she was born — considered the America of West Africa — just as a ruinous civil war was heating up, which lasted until early 2005. During that time, more than 250,000 people were killed, thousands more fled and even now, her homeland has no running water, no public electricity, an 85 percent unemployment rate and an infrastructure that remains crippled.

Jones returns to Liberia on July 27 to continue her single-minded goal of helping restore the Liberia she knew as a child, and at the very least, to bring the country clean, accessible water — since only a quarter of the population has access. Through the nonprofit she founded in Jan. 2009, Face Africa Jones previously installed a water purification and pump system capable of pumping 20,000 liters a day—enough to serve an entire village of 600 people in Barnesville (with the help of a Davis Project for Peace grant of $10,000).

After her family left Liberia, they went to Ivory Coast, the Middle East where her father was named ambassador, then to France and then Jones came to the US for college where she eventually graduated from Harvard University with a degree in international relations and political science. She wasn’t able to return until 2008, three years after the civil war had ended, and what she saw upon her arrival jolted her.

village_with_water_tower.jpg“I was shocked. It was very, very different from what I remembered from growing up as a young child,” said Jones. “I had seen reports of damage and devastation caused by the war but what I saw was nothing like what I had in mind. It was a very harsh reality. I got to see that the war had completely destroyed the entire infrastructure. You could see huge holes in roads, buildings, clinics and schools. Everything was destroyed. The level of poverty was incredible. Liberia now has one of the highest unemployment rates — 85 percent. There is no electricity in the entire country — all the infrastructure was damaged — and 90 to 95 percent have no electricity. Those who can afford to have a generator but there is no running water, or sewerage system for that matter.”

While she was still a student, she began working as an investment project manager for the Singapore government economic development board and in the years since she graduated from Harvard in 2007, she married Ainsworth Jones, a Jamaican attorney she met while still a student. But she never lost sight of her mother country of Liberia. So this trip to Liberia was taken with vacation time, as she still works her full-time job for the Singapore economic development board, and all the work she does raising money or planning water purification projects, she does after hours and on weekends.

4990_89480418741_55276183741_1961754_8075135_n.jpg“She’s doing these amazing things and it challenges you to think of others first. She’s unassuming and completely selfless,” says Zoe Cooper, a native Liberian and corporate attorney in Providence, R.I. who befriended Jones through a Liberian professional network organization. “Just how she’s made Face Africa her everyday is amazing. I remember her telling me three or four months ago that her mother was yelling at her because she hadn’t been eating right and had lost weight. She was just so busy. It’s very admirable, she works day in and day out. This girl will be up late at night doing FACE Africa work. When she has her mind set on something no one can stop her. She makes giving back look good. She’s doing these great things and she remains herself. She’s not pretending, she’s well dressed, very poised and she makes everyone feel at home around her. Her style makes service to others look fabulous — she looks like a runway model but she’s giving back everyday.”

The genesis of her first trip back to Liberia in 2008 has been in the works for a while. Even while she was a college student herself, Jones was sending $150 a month to the son of her mother’s friend so that he could continue his high school education because, for the most part, education has to be paid for by families.

liberian_children.jpg“Initially I thought, ‘This is great. If I can help one person get an education maybe I can start something on a larger scale, get my family, friends and colleagues involved.’ I wanted to do something with education but when I went to Liberia the reality completely changed me,” explains Jones. “I decided to shift my focus a little bit when I saw the challenges and needs there. As much as the education system in Liberia needed to be overhauled, there were so many other areas that needed attention — health, clean water and sanitation — and if kids aren’t healthy enough to go to school, it defeats the purpose. It was then that I decided to start an organization and focus on bringing clean water to communities in the country.”

She began researching sustainable, simple water purification systems and through a Liberian engineer friend learned of a SkyHydrant developed by Siemens which uses a self-contained, gravity-based membrane and hand pump system to provide clean water at a spigot. In May of 2009, Jones and an undergraduate student from Simmons College, Asia Norton, traveled to Barnesville and the project was completed and functional by her second trip last October.

28378_389336243741_55276183741_4151701_998859_n.jpgShe is also a master of mustering funds to support her endeavors. In 2009, FACE Africa won a $30,000 a year trust for 30 years from All for Africa by winning more than 54 percent of nearly 100,000 votes that were cast, generated in part by fans on the FACE Africa Facebook page. In March, Jones launched the inaugural FACE Africa Gala, raising $50,000 and the guest list included Liberian Ambassador to the United States M. Nathaniel Barnes, former NBA Star Dikembe Mutombo (at right) and Peter Thum, Founder of Ethos Water and former Vice President at Starbucks. And FACE Africa was one of 200 small charities chosen from 500,000 candidates to receive a share of $2.5 million in the Chase Community Giving Program on Facebook. The program, in its second year, attracted more than 2.5 million Facebook participants who voted and selected the 200 winning charities; FACE Africa will receive $20,000.

Seward Cooper, a fellow Liberian who has a nonprofit One Liberia to promote the restoration of the country, met Jones a year ago. “She reaches out across organizations and that’s definitely a strength. A lot of people have nonprofits and stay within box but she looks at the bigger picture and recognizes that when everything works in concert, she will be better able to fulfill what she’s doing and other people will be able to too. She reaches out constantly and is always trying to see how she can support other people so in the end, everyone is working to one goal of trying to help Liberia in positive manner.”

Photos courtesy of FACE Africa.

Story By Anne Driscoll Originally posted on Tonic.

Oil Spill Homeless Pets Find New Homes

July 23rd, 2010

Many cats and dogs lost their family after the oil spill, but many other families are welcoming these lost pets into their homes.

picture_2.pngThe Gulf oil spill continues to affect human lives and animals who have suffered from the disaster. In the forefront are the area’s sea animals and birds. However, it’s not just the wild animals who have been displaced, but also the domestic ones.

When Gulf Coast jobs were lost because of the spill, many people who made their livelihoods there had to start seeking work elsewhere. These families had to pick up and move, often leaving their cats and dogs behind.

A shelter in Violet, La. is taking in animals at 10 times the typical rate. Inundated by pets left behind, the shelter is operating at double capacity.

Beth Brewster, Director of St. Bernard Parish Animal Shelter told MSNBC’s Nightly News, “I continue to be surprised. I just keep thinking that it’s going to end soon, and it just doesn’t.”

After the report aired, the shelter was flooded with phone calls from eager adoptive parents. People from all over the country wanted to offer a new home to the latest victims of the oil spill.

picture_1.pngAmber Meadow adopted Lucky, a chihuahua. “She looked sad, like she needed a home, she needed someone to love her, like she missed her family,” she said.

There has been such a positive response that some of the animals have waiting lists of potential adoptive parents.

Even those who cannot take in a pet have started doing what they can to help by donating money to a new program, Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Bernard (FOAS), which helps owners keep and care for their beloved pets.

Photo 1 courtesy of St. Bernard’s Parish Animal Shelter via Petfinder, photo 2 courtesy of St. Bernard’s Parish Animal Shelter via Petfinder.

Story by Katie Leavitt Originally published on Tonic

Betty White Goes Pin-Up for Animals

July 19th, 2010

You couldn’t help but start the day with a smile if you had this Golden Girl posing with cute animals and hot men on your wall.

Betty White calendar coverWho doesn’t love the funny and talented Betty White? Not too many people considering the 88-year-old attracted huge amounts of media buzz and fanfare for her Saturday Night Live performance. And certainly, the last remaining of The Golden Girls still has it. Her comedic ability is outstanding, she’s smart, she’s generous and she still has legions of loyal followers.

In her latest endeavor, the comedienne is harnessing her rebound back into the spotlight –– though true fans would say she never left –– for doing good. Coming in September, the Betty White calendar to raise money for animal wellness will becoming to a retail location near you.

An animal health and welfare advocate, she has worked for years to make life better for animals and wildlife. She serves as a trustee to the Morris Animal Foundation, to which all the proceeds from September’s calendar will benefit.

Based out of Denver, Colo., the Morris Animal Foundation funds research making advances in the health and welfare of companion animals, horses and wildlife worldwide. The legendary actress has supported the foundation for 40 years and has stepped in front of the camera again, this time to help the organization create a healthier tomorrow for animals.

Though it may be a serious cause, the calendar will be purely Betty White material. The month’s will feature photographs of her many accomplishments, adorable animals and, of course, shirtless hotties! She does know how to keep us smiling.

This has potential to go fast, but preorders are available at select online locations.

Story by Katie Leavitt originally posted on Tonic

Photo courtesy of Workman Publishing Company via Amazon.

Gabrielle Union, Jillian Michaels Fight Cancer with MLB

July 13th, 2010

The MLB All-Star Game Charity 5K garnered celebrity support Sunday.

Jillian Michaels with Gabrielle Union at 5kBaseball Hall of Fame members Rod Carew, Paul Molitor, Bobby Grich and Tim Salmon became teammates with the lovely actress Gabrielle Union this weekend. They weren’t slinging bats, but were hitting the pavement for the All-Star Game Charity 5K & Fun Run.

Hosting the event was TV’s fitness guru Jillian Michaels who did what she does best –– encourage people to reach the finish line.

Union has become just as passionate about breast and women’s cancer advocacy and education as she is about acting. She and a group of girlfriends laced up their sneakers and joined the runners in honor of a friend who recently lost her battle with cancer.

“The fight against cancer is very personal for me,” said Union in a Stand Up to Cancer press release. “I got involved in the cancer awareness movement when one of my close girlfriends was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer at age 32. Being part of her fight inspired me to raise my voice to help other women. This is a disease that affects so many women, especially African-American women whose mortality rate is extremely high.”

Major League Baseball donated 100 percent of the registration fees to Prostate Cancer Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and City of Hope.

Story by Katie Leavitt Originally published on Tonic.

Photo by Rich Pilling/ MLB Photos courtesy of ID.

Ryan Sutter Doesn’t Have Cancer …

July 9th, 2010

… But he’s running, biking and swimming for those who do. The former “Bachelorette” suitor (who became Trista’s husband) is competing in 10 races to inspire 10,000 people to give $10 each. Will you be one of them?

When I first heard that former Bachelorette contestant Ryan Sutter was competing in races for charity, I shrugged my shoulders. I’d been covering this season’s show on ABC and seen a wrestler lie to get his 15 minutes of fame, so I thought similarly of Sutter: Here’s another reality TV star clinging to fame in the name of goodness. But when I interviewed the Colorado native, I realized I couldn’t have been more wrong.

It all started when Sutter met professional kayaker Brad Ludden at the Teva Mountain Games a few years ago, and the two immediately hit it off. Ludden is the founder of First Descents, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young adults with cancer through whitewater kayaking, and Sutter is now an active supporter.

“I started to get to know the campers and saw the impact of the disease. Ethan’s [Tonic contributor Ethan Zohn] a great example of the strength it takes to overcome that,” Sutter said. “Basically, there’s no choice. You’re forced to summon this physical and emotional strength and power that you never knew you had. I realized that you shouldn’t need that. The goal was to try to take on what isn’t ‘normal,’ to get to the depth of my physical strength, to inspire others the way that those at First Descents have inspired me.”

The Vail firefighter is definitely entering the realm of abnormal this year by competing in 10 races. His website says it perfectly: “By the end of 2010 Ryan Sutter will have trained for 700 hours, traveled 8,500 miles, and climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest four times. He has taken on this incredible challenge all while wearing the Team FD jersey in an effort to challenge 10,000 people to give $10 in honor of First Descents’ 10th year anniversary.”

So far, he’s completed four races: the Bolder Boulder, Teva Mountain Games’ Ultimate Mountain Challenge, the Adventure Team Challenge in Leadville, Colo. (at left) and the Firecracker 50, a 50-mile, Fourth of July race in Breckenridge, Colo. that’s pretty much all uphill.

“Every couple of weeks, there’s a fairly big athletic endeavor. It creates a mental frustration,” Sutter said. “I’ll feel really good about [finishing a race] and then I have to gear up for the next one. There’s no relaxation.”

To get him through each competition, Sutter remembers his motivations: the First Descents campers, Zohn and a girl named Zoe.

“I had a really difficult call at work that involved a young infant and she didn’t end up making it,” Sutter said. “Life is short and I can do [these races] now.”

To date, Sutter has only raised $7,643 but he’s confident he’ll reach the $100,000 mark by year’s end.

“I don’t want to ask for money at a time when people don’t have it,” Sutter said. “I’m not a big shot. I don’t have a lot of wealthy friends. It’s tough for me to build a grassroots program. It gets frustrating to hand out all those fliers and get 10 people to donate, but we’re not giving up!”

And neither should you, Tonic readers. All it takes is $10 and you can make a teenager forget that they have cancer, even if it’s just for a little while, kayaking the Colorado rapids.

Visit Ryan Sutter’s 10-10-10 Challenge today.

Story by Kathryn Wilson Originally posted on Tonic

Photos by Scott McClarrinon via RyanSutter.com.

Last Lecture Author’s Son Storms Capitol Hill

July 7th, 2010

ylan Pausch, ‘Last Lecturer’ Randy Pausch’s 8-year-old son, is taking on Washington and speaking out on the underfunded war against a lethal enemy: pancreatic cancer.

2010advocacyday-0052.jpgYou know Randy Pausch. His “Last Lecture” might be both the most heart-breaking and soul-mending life lesson of the YouTube era. You probably don’t know his son, Dylan, though you might remember the youngster as one of three little big reasons his father fought so hard in a doomed battle against pancreatic cancer. Two years after his father’s death, 8-year-old Dylan is now picking up where his dad left off.

On June 22, Dylan appeared with his mom Jai on Capitol Hill, where during his final days two years earlier, Randy asked congress to devote dollars to a desperately underfunded cause. Pancreatic cancer, the fourth most lethal cancer in the United States, is the “least federally funded of all leading cancer killers,” according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. It receives less than 2 percent of the National Cancer Institute’s annual budget.

“So many people are dying from pancreatic cancer and the survival rates are so low,” Dylan told ABC News as he visited Congress last month. “If we keep studying, we might be able to change that.”

Dylan’s words echoed those his dad said before the Labor, Health & Human Services Subcommittee. “We don’t have an advocate for this disease because they don’t live long enough.”

The savvy lecturer brought out a photo of his family and pointed his sharpie at Dylan. “He’s six years old and he loves dinosaurs.”

Dylan might still love dinosaurs, but he probably always loved his dad more. Today, he can show it and he did as he took the microphone at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Advocacy Day during his recent trip to D.C. Unfortunately his words weren’t recorded, though they probably sounded something like his dad’s.

“Pancreatic disease is a disease that I think we can beat,” Randy said in the same city in 2008. “But it’s going to take more continued courage and funding from our government to help protect us from the things that we can’t protect ourselves from.”

Randy Pausch always said he was just a human face to put attention on the disease. It’s good to know there’s now a fresh face filling in.

Click to donate to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Story by Sam Brand Originally published on Tonic

Photo by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.