Look To The Stars News: Cancer

Ryan Sheckler Hosts Celeb-Studded Charity Golf Tourney

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

X Games champion, reality star and budding philanthropist Ryan Sheckler will take to the links with 120 others to raise money for five charities.

The 18-year-old skateboarding phenomenon will host his first celebrity golf tournament – the Ryan Sheckler X Games Celebrity Skins Classic – on July 29 at the renowned Trump National Golf Course in Palos Verdes, CA. Many celebrities and professional athletes will participate, including Jerry O’Connell, Anthony Anderson, Audrina Patridge, Kendra Wilkinson, Dean Cain, Kevin Federline, Brody Jenner, Verne Troyer, Mia Hamm, Vicki Hurst, Bode Miller, Baron Davis, Carey Hart, Travis Pastrana, and Dave Mirra.

The tournament aims to further the mission of the Sheckler Foundation and raise funds for four additional charities: the Athlete Recovery Fund, which provides financial support to seriously injured BMX, FMX, and skateboard athletes; Boarding for Breast Cancer, a youth-focused awareness organization; Road 2 Recovery, which provides financial assistance and emotional support for motocross athletes coping with career-ending injuries; and Wings for Life, a spinal cord research foundation.

Says Sheckler, “I’ve always had a desire to help the kids who support me in my career and may not have had the same opportunities that I did. I have reached a point where I have the ability to give back, and I’m honored to have such a great response for this tournament from my professional colleagues and friends.”

The event will include a $10,000 hole-in-one putting contest and an 18-hole skins tournament, where the winner of each hole will receive $10,000 for the charity of his or her choice. Additional funds will be raised with a silent auction at the event’s dinner reception.

Ryan Sheckler became a professional skateboarder at 13, and has won numerous gold medals at competitions including the Gravity Games and X Games. Ryan also has his own clothing line and stars in “Life of Ryan,” a reality show aired on MTV.

The Sheckler Foundation was created in 2008 as an avenue for Ryan and his family to give back to the community that has supported Ryan’s athletic career. The Foundation supports medical research to cure childhood disease; enrichment programs for children in low income areas; and action sports athletes who are injured on the job. In April 2008, Sheckler donated his own Range Rover to the top fundraiser for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund 5K Run/Walk.

For more information on the Sheckler Foundation or to register for the tournament, please visit their website.

Celebrity Fashion Up For Grabs

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Anybody interested in celebrity fashion should head over to www.clothesoffourback.org in the next few days to bid on some of the fabulous items up for grabs in the name of charity.

The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance has an exciting range of clothes and memorabilia up for auction on the site, including the Badgley Mischka dress that Comedy For A Cure honoree Teri Hatcher wore to the “American Idol” Season 7 Grand Finale, a green Max Mara wrap dress, smoky quartz & sterling silver earrings, and autographed photo from “Dexter” star Julie Benz, a “Chuck” t-shirt autographed by the show’s star Zachary Levi, a “CSI:NY” white lab coat autographed by Melina Kanakaredes, and the Theory dress that “Access Hollywood” correspondent Shaun Robinson wore to last year’s Comedy for a Cure event when she was the show’s emcee.

Bidders should be quick, as the auction ends on July 8.

And for anybody who wants to step out on the town in some special shoes, Clothes Off Our Back is also auctioning off a range off footwear designed specially by stars such as Sheryl Crow, Hilary Swank, Zooey Deschanel, Rose McGowan, Kate Winslet, Maggie Grace, Cate Blanchett, Kirsten Dunst, Kristin Davis, Natasha Henstridge, Lisa Edelstein, Pink, Becki Newton, Melissa George, Kerry Washington, America Ferrera, Ana Ortiz, and Kate Walsh.

Proceeds from the auction will go Second Harvest (the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (which enriches the lives of artist and critically ill children), World Education (focusing on girls’ scholarship programs in Africa), and autism research. The auction ends on July 11.

Over 500 celebrities have participated in Clothes Off Our Back auctions since it was established by Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford in 2002, helping raise over $2 million for various children’s charities.

Aston Villa Give The Shirts Off Their Backs

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Over two years ago, Aston Villa Football Club began a relationship with the Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust, and that relationship has come to a magical fruition.

Villa is forgoing a lucrative shirt sponsor to promote the work of Acorns children’s hospices in central England on its jerseys after shunning a multimillion-dollar deal with an Internet gaming company.

“Yes, the shirts have monetary value, but they also have emotional value to fans and this is something to give back to them,” said Duncan Riddle, the club’s head of community relations.

Since Aston’s involvement began, players have made personal connections with the children, parents, staff members and nurses at the hospice.

“Real credit must go to Aston Villa for being the first Premier League club to use their shirt sponsorship to highlight their charity partnership with Acorns,” Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said. “I am sure that Acorns’ association with Aston Villa will be a great help in raising awareness and funds for the excellent work they undertake.”

Acorns look after 600 children and families and run three 10-bed units across central England. It’s currently the only organization that provides care 24 hours a day, 7-days a week to children not expected to reach adulthood.

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Pete Doherty Inspires Young Cancer Sufferer

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The press sometimes gives celebrities a hard time, concentrating on their problems rather than celebrating the good things that they do. One recent victim has been singer Pete Doherty, who has been quietly helping sick teenagers – such as 16-year-old British schoolboy Dan Squires, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer last November – without any publicity. Doherty not only invited the boy to one of his Babyshambles gigs, but also struck up a friendship with him.

“I only expected a meet-and-greet, but I got my own dressing room, watched the whole gig from the stage, hung out with the band afterwards and then got taken to the after-show party,” said Squires, who suffered a stroke last month and is now confined to a wheelchair. “It was incredible what they did because they didn’t need to do that.”

Squires, who has also met Oasis star Noel Gallagher and The Who’s Roger Daltrey, took gifts to one of Doherty’s gigs last week, and was surprised at the band’s response.

“I took them each a friendship bracelet for what they’ve done for me, and Pete just took off the bracelet he was wearing and gave it to me,” he told Journal Live. “He had also brought a book and signed the inside cover with a special message. It’s just lovely. I couldn’t believe it. I feel very privileged.”

Doherty also dedicated a recent concert to Squires and pledged to help raise more funds for his treatment.

“All of us have just been incredibly inspired by the Squires family’s stoicism and Dan’s bravery,” said the band’s manager, Adrian Hunter. “And [also] how well he is dealing with the card that life has dealt him.”

Doherty also surprised concert-goers at a Teenage Cancer Trust concert two weeks ago, when his band took to the stage unannounced in London. He had designed a pair of sneakers that were auctioned by the charity, and rushed straight to the gig from Sweden.

“Teenage Cancer Trust has seen on a number of occasions how musicians can really have a positive impact on young people going through a hard time,” said a spokesperson for the charity. “Babyshambles have really helped Daniel through this very difficult period and have been such an inspiration to him. We’re grateful to Babyshambles for deciding to donate to us through their guest lists.”

And Daniel hopes to hear more from his new friend.

“Pete and the band have just been absolutely amazing and hopefully I will be able to stay well enough to see them play again,” he said. “They have given me the goal to stay well. They’ve given me hope and something to look forward to.”

A Cup Of Tea With Girls Aloud

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Ever fancy a nice cup of tea with Girls Aloud? If so, pull up a chair, get out your best china, and relax as the singers front a new charity campaign to raise money for cancer support.

Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Blooming Great Tea Party is a new initiative designed to encourage people to hold their own tea parties and donate the money raised towards the cost of supporting cancer nurses. The organization – one of the largest charities in Britain – has been caring for the terminally ill for 60 years, and employs over 2,700 nurses and other healthcare professionals to care for patients who want to return to their own homes to die. They also run 10 hospices throughout Britain, and fund the Marie Curie Cancer Research Institute.

Girls Aloud became involved with the charity after Marie Curie nurses helped the grandfather of Nicola Roberts, one of the band members, in his final days.

“Every pound raised will help Marie Curie nurses look after someone with a terminal illness,” said the star.

Anybody wishing to know more about the campaign can visit the Blooming Great Tea Party website.

Leona Lewis Promotes Sun Safety For Summer

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer Leona Lewis has designed a special headscarf to raise funds for a major charity’s new education campaign.

The 23-year-old was made an Ambassador for the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Sunburn campaign – a program to encourage young people to use sunscreen when out in the sun – in May, and has designed an exclusive limited-edition headscarf decorated with butterflies to celebrate her involvement.

The scarves will be available exclusively from British chain “Superdrug”, and cost £2.99 ($6US). They officially go on sale on July 2, but can be pre-ordered from the Superdrug website from today.

Lewis was also recently named – along with Red Hot Chili Peppers singer, Anthony Kiedis – the “Sexiest Vegetarian of 2008” by PETA. The pair beat opposition from Pink, Natalie Imbruglia, Bryan Adams, and others for the honor. She is also due to play at Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Concert in London this Friday.

Steve Carell Gets Smart For Charity

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Comedian Steve Carell held a special screening of his latest movie, Get Smart, for charity last night.

The 45-year-old held the screening at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to benefit the Zachary Carson Brain Tumor Fund, a special initiative named after a teenager Carell met on the set of his show ‘The Office’ last year through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Tickets to the screening cost movie-goers $100, and included the chance to take part in an auction featuring items such as the opportunity to have Carell record a voice mail message.

The fund was set up after 19-year-old Zachary Carson died from diffuse pontine glioma, a type of pediatric cancer, and this is the second time Carell has used a movie screening to raise awareness of the disease – in 2007 he put together a premiere in Boston for his film Evan Almighty.

Toby Keith Raises Cash For Ally's House

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The annual Toby Keith & Friends Celebrity Golf Classic in Oklahoma last week set a new record by raising $709,000 for Ally’s House, a nonprofit organization that helps families dealing with childhood cancer.

Since establishing the golf tournament five years ago, country music sensation Toby Keith has raised more than $2.3 million for the charity – named after the daughter of one of Keith’s band who died from kidney cancer – and this year was no different, with more than 750 people attending the weekend of sport, music and a celebrity auction.

Auction items were donated by stars such as George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Loretta Lynn, Tom Hanks, Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, LeBron James, Andre Agassi, Tony Stewart, and Peyton Manning, although it was the chance to dine with Toby Keith himself that raised the most cash – a huge $35,000.

“I knew we could make a difference with Ally’s House, but it really is even bigger than I’d hoped,” said Keith. “We’ve helped a ton of families, and we’re proud that we have never had to turn away an Oklahoma family that needs help.”

There'll Be Feuding And Fighting Between Celebrities... All For Charity

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Celebrity Family Feud is set to invade primetime next week, when it premieres on Tuesday, June 24, on NBC.

Hosted by Al Roker, the familiar show will get a star twist when 24 celebrity “families” front up to do battle on behalf of their favorite charities. First up in next week’s maiden broadcast are Law & Order: SVU star Ice-T and family – playing for Unity 2 – going up against Team Rivers, led by the queens of the red carpet, Joan and Melissa Rivers, playing for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

During each episode of the new series, four celebrity families will be pitted against each other in tournament-style fun and games, with the winners from each round moving on to the final round—where they’ll compete to win up to $50,000 for their designated charity.

Other stars to compete on the show will include Vivica Fox, Raven Symone, Kim Kardashian, and teams from The Office and My Name Is Earl, and charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the USO, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation will benefit.

Prince William Meets Young Charity Crusaders

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince William attended a special charity polo game on Saturday and got to meet children who have worked to support WellChild.

The 25-year-old prince – who today becomes the 1000th person to be made Knight of the Garter – was at the annual Chakravarty Cup event at Ham Polo Club in Richmond in the weekend, where he met a group of twelve students aged between 9 and 11 from Bishop Stortfor College, Hornsby House School in South London, and the Catholic School of St Gregory the Great in Cheltenham. The youngsters had the chance to present artwork they had completed to reflect the work of WellChild to the Prince – whose brother, Harry, is the Royal Patron of WellChild – and other guests at the event. William chatted to them and was keen to hear about their work, which ranged from poetry to pastels and other artwork using a variety of techniques.

The schools had each run fundraising and awareness-building campaigns to benefit the charity – an organization in the UK dedicated to the needs of sick children and their families – and had assisted the charity in setting up its Helpline service.

“We are delighted that these children were able to meet Prince William and demonstrate to him the impact of WellChild’s work at such a special event,” said Kedge Martin, Chief Executive of WellChild. “Their enthusiasm to help other children less fortunate than themselves and the artwork they have produced is really inspiring. They were all honored to meet His Royal Highness, and thoroughly enjoyed their time with him.”

The polo game also raised money for the Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, of which Prince William is President.

David Cook Raises Cancer Funds

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

American Idol winner David Cook is to perform at a California charity event to raise money for cancer research.

The 13th annual Taste For A Cure event will be held on June 21 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, to raise money for the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation at UCLA, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising private funds for highest priority cancer research.

The event – a wine and food tasting reception followed by a seated dinner with creations by award-winning chefs – will be hosted by comedian Jimmy Kimmel and will honor Fox Broadcasting Company President of Entertainment Kevin Reilly with the Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award.

Tickets and more information are available at www.tasteforacure.com.

Fans of David Cook should also head over to eBay for a special charity auction benefiting the American Cancer Society in support of the singer’s brother, who is fighting brain cancer.

A signed guitar and three T-shirts are up for offer in the auction, which ends on June 17.

The Fender Telecaster guitar has a starting bid of $300, and was given to Cook’s last band, the Midwest Kings, and was signed in 2008 during the American Idol’s homecoming visit to Blue Springs, Missouri. The T-shirts feature a graphic with David Cook singing on American Idol. All three shirts are size large, and bids are already over $41.

The auction can be accessed at eBay.

Charles Barkley and Buddies Tee Off For Charity

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Legendary athlebrities from football, baseball, basketball and hockey, gathered under the hot desert sun on June 7 and 8 to raise money and awareness for several very worthwhile causes. The Pro Sports Team Challenge Golf Tournament at the Eagle Falls Golf Club at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino (near Palm Springs, California) settled the debate as to which sport has the best golfers, while competing for a total purse of $250,000 for chairty.

Team Basketball hit the greens for the USO. Led by NBA great Charles Barkley and featuring his buddies Clyde Drexler, Jason Kidd, George Gervin and Kenny Smith, the team made every swing count in efforts to help comfort our hardworking military. While Barkley was psyched for the event, he didn’t have high expectations for his team.

“One of the highlights of my life was [when] the USO took me to Iraq, Kuwait, Dubai,” said Barkley during the event. “I got to visit with some of the troops. So it’s a great organization and, um, unfortunately we’re not going to win a lot of money for them because my team [Basketball] sucks!”

But the event wasn’t marred by the lack of golf talent, as inspiration was the forerunner of the competition.

“Many athletes, like Charles Barkley and John Elway, have spent their holidays, vacations and precious free time to thank our nation’s heroes for their daily sacrifices,” said Kathy Mejasich, the Vice President of Corporate Alliances for the USO. “The difference they make in the morale of the troops is more than just palpable, but energizing and inspiring.”

Team Basketball also spent some time with 20 year-old Brandon Akey, who was flown out from Ohio to play with the big boys after winning an online competition.

“I’m only 20 years old and this is only the second time I’ve been out of Ohio – the last time I took a trip was to Florida when I was a kid, and suddenly I’m here playing golf with these guys.” Brandon played in the Pro-Am with basketball legend, George Gervin. “He was such a good guy. Whenever we hit bad shots he was really cool and supportive, he said ‘that’s all right, we’re a team, it’s like basketball.’”

Also inspiring was Team Football, who didn’t stop grinning all weekend as they polished their putters in the hope of earning a hefty donation for Operation Kids. Led by Team Captain Drew Brees and including LaDainian Tomlinson, John Elway and Michael Strahan, the team brought style, smiles, class and sass to the event.

“I just love helping kids,” said NFL good guy Michael Strahan. “When they see any player come to spend some time with them, their faces light up and they share their hopes and ambitions and dreams with us. I can’t even begin to tell you how good it made me feel.”

Rest assured, Strahan was speaking from the heart. There wasn’t one child in attendance that the big guy didn’t stop for. In fact, all the players involved were constantly chatting with young starry-eyed kids as they tousled their hair before signing footballs, programs, posters, and even jerseys being worn by ‘soccer moms’.

Team Hockey, led by cancer survivor Mario Lemieux, chose Hockey Fights Cancer as their beneficiary. Lemieux, Brett Hull, Grant Fuhr and Pierre Larouche went into the competition with an edge, seeing as they all have notorious golf skills.

During Friday’s Pro-Am event, one lucky sweepstakes winner enjoyed a round with the big boys. Matt Lesage, who has little golf experience, was a bit nervous going into the competition when he learned he was playing with Team Hockey. “I played with Pierre Larouche in the Pro-Am,” he said, “Mario Lemieux, Pierre, Grant, all those guys were so nice. Pierre is a great guy and I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him. At first, I was a bit skeptical on how the athletes were going to act towards someone like me, not being a big golfer, but they were all class acts and they couldn’t have been nicer.”

While Lesage was hyped to play golf, he was also keen on the fact that this was for charity, “I heard Team Hockey talking about Hockey Fights Cancer, and a lot of people in my family had cancer so it made me really happy to be part of it. All these guys inspired me.”

Team Baseball captain Ozzie Smith led George Brett, Vince Coleman and Bret Saberhagen around the greens as they swung away for the Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) in efforts to help the families of players who have fallen on tough times.

“B.A.T. provides assistance to members of the ‘baseball family’ who are in need…We help take care of health care, medical, housing, burial, utilities, household expenses and prescriptions,” wrote Erik Nilsen of B.A.T. “It’s an honor to be nominated by Ozzie Smith, a Hall of Famer who truly understands the history of our organization.”

The big question remains though – which team brought home the first place $100,000 prize for their charity and which teams split the remaining purse? You’ll have to watch the Fox Sports Net broadcast on Saturday 6/28 and Sunday 6/29 to find out. It was a great competition, filled with lots of trash talking and love coming from the participants, but in the end all of the charities came out winners thanks to the dedication of these mighty mighty fine men.

Special celebrities lending their time to the event included Hercules star Kevin Sorbo, actor Dennis Haysbert (The Unit), Actor/producer Matthew Hatchette (The Take), and comedian Martin Short provided some comical poolside entertainment during the VIP party.

If you’d like to make a donation to any of the ProTeam charities named, you can still visit the Team Challenge website and sign up as a ProCoach – $1.00 from each participant will go to the charity of your choice.

Paul Newman Donates Salad Dressing Ownership To Charity

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Paul Newman has donated the entire value of his ownership in Newman’s Own – his company famous for salad dressings – to charity.

The star of Road To Perdition and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid founded Newman’s Own Food Company in 1982, producing a range of popular dressings and sauces, with all profits – $200 million so far – going to charity. The millions of dollars raised through the venture every year go to thousands of charities around the world, and now $120 million will be donated to beneficiary organizations.

Much of Newman’s money goes to the Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps the actor established in 1988. The camps allow ill children to participate in activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, archery, arts and crafts, woodworking, performing arts, horseback riding, overnight camping and group adventures, all while receiving superior 24-hour medical care free of charge. More than 100,000 children from 31 countries have attended the Hole in the Wall camps.

Newman also hit headlines last year when he donated $40,000 to a Breast Care Center in Wales.

Look To The Stars Asks Kevin Sorbo

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Kevin Sorbo shot to fame in 1994 for his starring role in the popular TV series Hercules, the Legendary Journeys. Since then, he’s guest starred on such hit shows as Just Shoot Me, According to Jim, Hope and Faith, Two and a Half Men, USA Network’s Psych, and had recurring appearances on Dharma and Greg and Fox’s The OC in 2006-2007.

In 2005, when Sorbo was named as the spokesperson for the Afterschool Alliance, he said, “I am proud to do whatever I can to promote the afterschool programs that children and families need.”

Remarkably, Sorbo has remained true to his words, spending countless hours helping children in need. He has solidified himself as a true giver, acting as the spokesman and chair of A World Fit For Kids! (WFFK!), a non-profit organization that offers gang, drug and dropout prevention programming to at-risk kids by providing mentoring training for teens and using them as positive role models for youngsters.

Look to the Stars caught up with Kevin Sorbo when he made an appearance at the Pro Team Sports Challenge held in Indio, California, June 6-8. The event raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the USO, Baseball Assistance Team, Operation Kids, and Hockey Fights Cancer.

Tell us a little bit about your charity, Kevin.

Well, it’s called A World Fit for Kids – readers can go online to www.worldfitforkids.org, and see what we’ve been up to. We just got the Gold Star from Governor Schwarzenegger for having the best after-school program in the State of California. We’ve got 100% graduation rate in Los Angeles County, which has about a 40% drop out rate. So I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished.

We’ve seen you at quite a few charity events, what’s been your inspiration?

I really wanted to work with kids. It started about the third year of ‘Hercules’ when we actually passed ‘Baywatch’ as the most watched TV show in the world, and with that sort of notoriety, I started getting inundated with all kinds of causes – Pediatric, AIDS, everything – and while those kinds of things are wonderful, l really wanted to work with kids that were healthy but living in an unhealthy environment.

You’re obviously doing something right!

Yeah, and we’re [WFFK!] actually going to go nationwide with it because we’ve got a lot people from out of state asking us why we’re so good. So, I’m having my own celebrity-golf tournement – on October 10/11, in Las Vegas. Planet Hollywood is hosting, Darius Rucker [from Hootie and the Blowfish] will be performing. It’s going to be a great event and golf tournement and I’m very excited about it.

What’s your opinion as to whether or not celebrities are ‘obligated’ to give back to the community?

I don’t think people are obligated. You know, some people have different personalities. I like helping people. I’ve been doing this for 11 years now and I love it.

Is there any celebrity that you would ‘call-out’ for lack of charity work?

I got to be honest with you – I don’t know who I’d call out because most of the people I know are giving back to the world in some way. I don’t know what celebrities aren’t doing these days to give back.

Look to the Stars and Delinda would like to thank Kevin Sorbo for taking the time to speak with us. We applaud his good work and hopefully he inspires you as much as he’s inspired us.

Orlando And Bono Attend Gorbachev Gala

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev hosted a glittering charity gala at Hampton Court on Saturday night that saw a stunning array of celebrities show up to support the fight against cancer in children.

Kate Beckinsale, Orlando Bloom, Tracey Emin, Petra Nemcova, Kevin Spacey and Joan Collins were just some of the stars that turned out for the dinner, auction and dance to raise money for the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation – a charity established by Mr Gorbachev following the death of his wife in 1999.

A three course dinner was followed by an impressive selection of items up for auction, including a private night at Annabel’s nightclub in Mayfair for 160 people, clothes from designer Giles Deacon, a new Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and a private high-speed drive with British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

This was followed by a moving speech made by Hugh Grant, whose mother died from cancer in 2001, and a special performance from Bono.

“We are delighted Hugh is so involved this year,” said one of the organizers. “He is a very important part of the charity. For him to stand up and talk about his late mother is very special. It’s a night where people really do go to incredible lengths to raise money for an amazingly worthwhile charity.”

Last year’s Gala was also an exciting event.

Gemma Atkinson Designs Hospital Room

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British actress Gemma Atkinson has helped design a special room at a hospital in Britain to give young cancer sufferers a place to chill out.

The 23-year-old created the room in association with the Teenage Cancer Trust at Manchester’s Christie Hospital, and hopes the facility will give patients an area where they can escape the confines of their ward.

“Teenage Cancer Trust is a great charity, supporting young people with cancer in Chester and throughout the UK,” she said. “I visited the unit in Manchester recently and I was inspired by the patients I met who all had such zest for life. I was amazed by their positive attitudes, despite going through such a terrible ordeal. I want to do as much as I can to support them.”

The room has a rubber floor, making it easier for wheelchairs to move on, and a magnetic wall to make displaying appointment cards and notes easier and safer. It also features a Playstation and iPod jukebox.

“I’m really pleased with it,” said Atkinson. “Hospital wards are quite dull and boring so I went to Christie’s and asked teenagers there what they want. I wasn’t aware teenagers got cancer, but six are diagnosed with it every day.”

Kate Moss Designs Charity T-Shirt

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British catwalk beauty Kate Moss is launching a charity T-shirt she designed especially for sick children.

Proceeds from the shirt, which is part of the model’s Topshop Summer Collection, will go to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to terminally ill youngsters. Moss hopes the item will raise $150,000 for the Foundation to grant an additional wish to a child every week.

“Starlight offers a lot of hope to a lot of children at a difficult time in their life,” said the 34-year-old. “I was really happy to help.”

The shirt will be released in Topshop stores this Friday.

“Starlight has made a real difference to many terminally and seriously ill children,” said Topshop boss Sir Phillip Green. “Along with Kate Moss and the Topshop team, I am pleased to offer support to this important charity.”

Rip Into One Of Kelly's Bags

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

There’s just one day left to get your hands on Emmy Award winner Kelly Ripa’s bags!

The 37-year-old host of Live With Regis And Kelly and star of Hope And Faith has been selling off 17 designer handbags on eBay, and the auction has now entered its final hours. The star joined forces with European household appliance giant Electrolux and Kompolt Auctions to offer her collection of bags that were featured in Kelly’s Bags, a fun online game that captured the imaginations of tens of thousands of women while helping to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

Proceeds from the current auction will also go to the Fund, and bidders have the chance to pick up bags from designers such as Elliott Lucca, Gustto, and Lacroix.

“Thousands of women are affected by this deadly disease every year, including someone close to me,” said Ripa. “But there’s hope. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund helps women fight and beat this disease. They fund research that will improve chances for an early diagnosis, giving hope to patients, family, and friends.”

The auction ends tomorrow, June 6, and can be accessed through eBay.

Taylor Swift Gives Her Vote To Charity

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Country music sensation Taylor Swift is donating all of the proceeds from her merchandise sales at this weekend’s Country Music Festival in Nashville to charity.

The 18-year-old singer will be gifting her profits to the Red Cross, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Nashville Area Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund in Middle Tennessee and a portion to benefit the National American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

The singer is also trying to encourage more young people to vote and exercise their rights.

“I’ve been trying to do my research more,” she told The Tennessean. “Before you have the ability to vote, you just kind of support who your parents support. I’ve had more interest in figuring out who believes in what, because every vote counts. I’m not going to talk about politics, because it’s not my specialty. I know as much as your average 18-year-old who wants to know the general issues… but I’m not going to go out there and try to influence thousands of people because I have a music career and a platform to say things publicly. I don’t think because you do have the platform to say things publicly that you necessarily should.”

Swift is certainly no stranger to charitable acts. Last year she launched a campaign to protect children from online predators, and earlier this year she donated the pink Chevy pick-up truck given to her by her record label to children’s charity, the Victory Junction Gang.

Texas Helps Children In Scotland

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Scottish singer and founder of the band Texas, Sharleen Spiteri, stepped out for children with cancer in Edinburgh last week.

The 40-year-old singer, whose hits include I Don’t Need A Lover and Once In A Lifetime, visited the youngsters at a hospice in the Scottish capital as part of her support of CLIC Sargent, an organization that provides accommodation for the families of young children who get cancer, giving them and their families a long-term base close to the specialist treatment unit at the Sick Kids Hospital.

“As a mother, it means so much to me to be involved with CLIC Sargent, and I have seen for myself the fantastic work they do for children with cancer and their families in Scotland,” said the singer, who is also the patron of the charity. “I cannot imagine how devastating it must be to be told your child has cancer, and this charity is a real lifeline.”

The Osmonds Are Back For Charity

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:34:00 -0000

Written by Dawn Fantasia

Words can not express the gratitude that Marie Osmond has for the staff at the Children’s Hospital for Wales after they saved her five-year-old son Stephen’s life during a severe asthma attack.

“I was in my bus touring, and he stopped breathing and turned blue and his machine didn’t work,” said Marie. “I remember I said a prayer, and we drove probably 100mph down the road in a bus, and there was a children’s hospital. They rushed him in there and they saved his life.”

She and her brothers plan to show their appreciation with the support of the Noah’s Ark Appeal to purchase new state-of-the-art equipment for the hospital to help make it one of the best hospitals in the world. Marie Osmond is co-founder, along with John Schneider, of the Children’s Miracle Network, a project of The Osmond Foundation. The initiative has raised over $3.4 billion since 1983 for children’s hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The Children’s Hospital for Wales joins Bristol and Dublin hospitals in becoming a partner. In 2009 they will have the opportunity to nominate a “champion child” to go to Disney World. Each year one child and their family is chosen from each of the children’s hospitals in the Children’s Miracle Network to represent the hospital at Disney World.

Marie Osmond also has asthma, which may have caused her to faint during the reality show “Dancing With the Stars”. She said, “Right at the beginning I started getting light-headed. And the only thing I could think of [is] I have allergies, there’s almost half a million people being evacuated, the air quality is terrible – and I just couldn’t get my breath.”

Over 6.8 million children under age 18 have asthma. Asthma is the leading cause of school absences and the third leading cause of hospitalizations for children. The cost of treating these children is over $3.2 billion a year. American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Centers are involved with working on asthma prevention and treatments. Many communities have developed asthma-friendly schools and emergency plans to educate school staff and students with helping someone during a severe asthma attack.

If you would like to make a difference in a child’s life, contact www.noahs-ark-appeal.org. For more information about asthma, contact a Local Lung Association in your area at 1-800-LUNGUSA.

NASCAR Driver To Lead Charity Motorcycle Ride

Thu, 29 May 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

NASCAR driver Kyle Petty will lead a field of more than 250 riders as they wind their way from the Midwest to the Deep South in an effort to raise awareness of and funds for the Victory Junction Gang and other children’s charities in July.

The charity motorcycle ride will depart from Traverse City, Michigan, on July 13, making overnight stops in Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia and North Carolina, before reaching Georgia on July 19.

The charity ride has taken place every year since 1995, and this year marks the launch of a new fundraising program – The Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge – which is challenging individuals to form their own “pit crews” (called Dream Teams) to raise money for and awareness of the event and its beneficiaries.

Since 1995, 5,700 participants have logged more than 7.2 million cumulative motorcycle miles and donated more than $10.5 million to Victory Junction Gang Camp and other charities that support chronically ill children. Petty and his wife, Pattie, founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a year-round camp that serves children with a variety of health issues that would typically prevent them from attending camp, in North Carolina in 2004. The camp operates solely on the donations of corporations, organizations and individuals. The Pettys recently announced the opening of a second Victory Junction Gang Camp in Kansas.

“Pattie and I are constantly amazed and inspired by the dedication of our riders, sponsors and fans,” said Petty. “These companies and individuals are truly committed to bettering the lives of deserving children and their families. We’re looking forward to another great event – and more incredible results!”

More information about the event can be found at Kyle Petty’s website.

Ugly Betty Items Go Under the Hammer

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:11:00 -0000

With the “Ugly Betty” season about to end, now is your chance to bid on the stunning blouse worn by resident Mode fashionista Amanda Tanen (Becki Newton) and custom designed specifically for her by guest star Christian Siriano (winner of the most recent season of “Project Runway”) from the show’s May 1st episode. Auction ends Thursday, May 22nd.

Also up for grabs is the autographed softball uniform worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell on “Ugly Betty.” This auction ends Monday, May 26th.

If you watched the Kentucky Derby, you know the hats stole the race. Bid now on the hat that Molly Sims wore at the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The one-of-a-kind autographed hat will benefit the Barnstable Brown Foundation and is up for auction until Tuesday, May 27th.

Do you love swag? Bid now on gift bags donated by celebrities, tastemakers, and organizations to help raise money for Clothes Off Our Back and Water Partners International.

To bid on items, log onto www.clothesoffourback.org.

Proceeds from the auction benefits America’s Second Harvest (the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (encouraging artists and actors to enrich the lives of critically ill children) and World Education (focusing on girls’ scholarship programs in Africa) and autism research.

Wilson, Guttenberg Tee Up For Children

Wed, 21 May 2008 10:39:03 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Luke Wilson, Steve Guttenberg, Aidan Quinn and James Naughton are signed up to play in the Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am, proceeds of which go the The Hole in the Wall Gang and the Greater Hartford Jaycees.

The Travelers Championship, formerly the Greater Hartford Open, is the sole fundraiser of the Greater Hartford Jaycees. The charity is a leadership development and community service organization, made up of men and women aged 21-40. Over the last 55 years, they have raised over $23 million for charity. Proceeds from the tournament will help the Jaycees to support the community in a variety of ways, ranging from delivering Thanksgiving baskets to families in need to facilitating leadership programs in local high schools to distributing grants and scholarships.

The Hole in the Wall Gang charity was started by Paul Newman to offer children with serious illnesses and life threatening conditions a place to forget about their problems. More than 100,000 seriously ill children from 34 states and 31 countries have attended their Camps free of charge. Tony Award-winner James Naughton is a member of the charity’s Board of Directors.

Tournament director Nathan Grube said in a statement. “The Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am is a must see event of the Travelers Championship. A primary goal of the Travelers Championship is to raise funds and awareness for our designated charities, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp and the Greater Hartford Jaycees. We are appreciative of these stars who share their time and talents to support the tournament’s charitable efforts.”

The Celebrity Pro-Am takes place on June 18th at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT. Tee times will be from 6:50 a.m. to 8:50 a.m., and 11:50 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. Tickets are available at www.TravelersChampionship.com , or to learn about volunteer opportunities, ranging from Ticket Sellers to Caddies, visit the Greater Hartford Jaycees website.

‘Queen of Hearts’ Raise Awareness for Nevada Cancer Institute

Tue, 20 May 2008 10:12:17 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

A phenomenal cast of women are again taking part in this years World Series of Poker $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em to raise awareness and funds for the Nevada Cancer Institute, the official charity of the WSOP.

Founded by renowned marketing guru Lisa Tenner, the ‘Queens of Hearts’ team has pledged more than $10,000 to the Nevada Cancer Institute. Celebrity author Jackie Collins, though not playing, will serve as Honorary Captain and announce the start of the event.

This year’s star-studded Queen of Hearts team includes Joely Fisher, Teri Hatcher, Cheryl Hines, Camryn Manheim, and Mindy McCready, with Mimi Rogers acting as team co-captain, and Jackie Collins as honorary captain. Poker professional taking part in the three-day tournament, which kick-offs June 8, 2008 at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, includes Susie Isaacs (two-time Ladies event winner), Linda Johnson, Mary Jones (2006 Ladies event champion), Shawnee Barton, Sally Ann Boyer (2007 defending champion), Pamela Brunson, Barbara Enright (two-time Ladies event winner), Maureen Feduniak and Clonie Gowen.

“This event has grown remarkably over the last five years and is now one of the most anticipated events of the 55-event World Series of Poker,” said Jeffrey Pollack, World Series of Poker commissioner. “With leadership from the Queens of Heart for the third year in a row, we’re confident the atmosphere and play will be fun and exciting.”  

The 39th Annual World Series of Poker will take place from May 30th to July 14th at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

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