Look To The Stars News: Health

Tom Cruise Donates to Jackie Chan's Foundation

Sat, 11 Feb 2006 14:51:42 +0000

In January, Tom Cruise donated $20,000 to the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation. The money will be used for 10 scholarships to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing arts.

2006 Teenage Cancer Trust Performances

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 22:15:24 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Cure and Ricky Gervais will be performing for the annual Teenage Cancer Trust series. A full list of the performances, held in London from March 27th-April 1st, can be found at the Teenage Cancer Trust website.

Jackie Chan Joins Fight Against AIDS

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:00:02 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Jackie Chan and UNICEF have produced a series of commercials to help children living with HIV and AIDS. The 30-second ads are aimed at educating the public about the disease.

Free Screenings For Sick Children

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 14:50:16 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Yorkhill Children's Foundation is raising funds for the UK’s second Medicinema, to be built in the Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow. The charity needs to raise 300,000GBP, and though they are have already raised a large proportion of the money, they need a bit more help to reach their goal.

Movies can provide distraction and help relieve boredom and stress, but children confined to hospitals do not have the option to go out to the theatre. Medicinema offers sick children and their families the opportunity to enjoy a free film in a state-of-the-art cinema setting with easy access for wheelchairs and beds. Medicinema is supported by Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey.

San Diego School Surprise

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:32:41 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Students at San Diego High School were thrilled at the unexpected arrival of Oprah, Bill Gates, and Gates’ wife Melinda. The visitors were there to film a future segment of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” about an $11 million donation in 2003 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Three large high schools in the area received funds to assist in their efforts to increase the number of college-ready graduates, particularly among low-income and minority students. Some of the money was used to divide the San Diego High School into six smaller schools. Each of the smaller schools specializes in a particular field, such as business, international studies, media or science.

Arts And Entertainment For Hospitalized Children

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 11:59:00 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Lollipop Theater Network and Discovery Arts have teamed up to offer hospitalized children around California creative days filled with art projects and a film.

The ongoing program began on February 16th at Miller Children’s Hospital, and will begin at Children’s Hospital of Orange County on February 21st. Mattel Children's Hospital will join the program in March.

The first film and art adventure is a screening of “Nanny McPhee”, for which the children will make magic walking sticks and animal hats. The patients are then encouraged to join in and tap their sticks at appropriate times during the film.

Both Lollipop and Discovery Arts are able to offer their services free of charge to the hospitals and families thanks to the generosity of the public, corporations, and foundations.

Hollywood's Humanitarians At Cinema For Peace

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 12:42:23 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Celebrities are offering support for a variety of humanitarian causes at Cinema For Peace in Berlin this week.

UNICEF supporter Christopher Lee has spoken out about the duty of celebrities to bring attention to and support causes to improve the world, especially for children.

“The world today is such a terrible mess, and the children are suffering so much that anyone who can help by talking about it should do so,” he says.

UNICEF is one of the main beneficiaries of the Cinema for Peace charity gala. This year is also set to benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research and Healing the Divide.

William Shatner Reads For Charity

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 12:49:00 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

On February 23rd, William Shatner will read a fairy tale at Once Upon A Chair, the annual fund raiser for the Canadian Intensive Care Foundation Of Calgary.

For the fundraiser, 10 chairs are turned into works of art, five of which are auctioned off. Four of the chairs go to patients who have survived due to care they received at the Calgary intensive-care unit, and one chair is given to the family of a patient who could not be saved.

Surviving Bee Gees Reunite

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 14:24:38 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Barry and Robin Gibb reunited for their first performance since the death of their brother, Maurice, three years ago. The two surviving members of the Bee Gees sang at a charity concert in Miami to raise money for the Diabetes Research Institute. The brothers performed dozens of Bee Gees hits such as “Stayin’ Alive” and “How Deep is Your Love”, and sang “Don’t Forget to Remember” as a tribute to Maurice, who died in January 2003 after emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage.

Elizabeth Taylor's Birthday Gift

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 21:42:19 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

For her birthday, Dame Elizabeth Taylor is donating an AIDS medical unit to the people of New Orleans.

Medical professionals who have lost clinics due to Hurricane Katrina will staff the 40-foot vehicle. The unit has two exam rooms and ex-ray facilities, and is already in the possession of the New Orleans AIDS Task Force.

Instrumental Giving

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 13:15:19 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Elton John is putting his famous red piano up for auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The piano has been with John through many tours, and he will play it for the last time on March 5 at the Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Dinner. After that it will be put up for auction on eBay with an opening bidding price of $85,000.

While on tour in Brazil, Bono encouraged concert-goers to work together towards ending poverty, and has donated one of his guitars in support of the Brazilian government’s Zero Hunger program.

Lenny Kravitz donated a guitar to the Zero Hunger program last year, raising about $132,000 at an auction.

Couric Cuts Curry

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 14:20:51 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Katie Couric trimmed off 10 inches of Ann Curry’s hair for Locks Of Love on the “Today Show”.

Ann Curry and her daughter, Mac, had let their hair grow for a year in order to donate it to the charity for use in children’s hairpieces.

Charging For Charity

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:51:17 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Bono and Elle Macpherson are the faces behind the (RED) American Express Card, which Bono was proud to launch yesterday.

The card donates one percent of all funds charged on it to fighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

The U2 frontman feels that getting everyone working together, including big companies, will go a long way towards curing the disease and improving the world.

Stars' Doodles Auctioned

Sat, 04 Mar 2006 23:17:38 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Emma Thompson, Claudia Schiffer and Sir Roger Moore are among the list of celebrities who have taken part in the UK’s National Doodle Day. The fun drawings are up for auction on eBay, raising money for Epilepsy Action and the Neurofibromatosis Association.

Football Match For UNICEF

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 20:20:31 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Robbie Williams is set to lead the British football team in this summer’s charity tournament, Soccer Aid.

Williams has invited Jude Law and Orlando Bloom to join him in training for the match, which is scheduled for next May. His team will be taking on celebrities from around the world at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium to raise money for UNICEF.

Photo Auction For Third World Relief

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 19:33:02 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Avril Lavigne, Céline Dion and Alanis Morissette are among Canadian musicians taking part in the Art Gives Hope: A Decade of Music Portraits exhibit in Toronto.

Inspired by the Live 8 concerts, photographer Andrew MacNaughtan hopes that his prints will raise at least $100,000 for World Vision Canada, where the funds will go to families living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. He also would like fans of the artists to become active in bringing about social change in Third World nations.

Glenn Tipton's Guitar On Auction

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:38:17 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest has put his trusty Gibson guitar up for auction on eBay. The guitar is autographed and comes with a presentation case and a certificate of authenticity.

All proceeds from the auction go to Tipton’s favourite charity, Teenage Cancer Trust.

Elton's Closet Opens in New York

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:30:22 +0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Sir Elton John has donated nearly 10,000 items of his own clothing and accessories to raise money for his charity, the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The event, called Elton’s Closet, is being held on the Concourse Level of Rockefeller Center in Manhattan from April 11-15.

For these five days, fans can purchase some of the iconic singer’s costumes, designer suits, trousers, shirts, shoes, accessories and more.

A selection of items will be featured in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue, a co-sponser of the event along with Top of the Rock, the observation deck at the Rockefeller Center.

Charity Pockets Elton's Clothes Sale Proceeds

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:53:55 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

The five-day sale of 10,000 pieces of designer clothing owned by Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish concluded successfully on Friday.

Held in a temporary shop in the Rockefeller Centre in New York, the sale raised £395,000 ($700,000) for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The event will reportedly be repeated in a year’s time.

Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend Aims to Raise $500,000

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 21:33:39 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Over 30 celebrities are expected to attend the Dennis Quaid 2006 Charity Weekend from 4th-7th of May in Austin, Texas, where the actor lives.

Top names such as Hugh Grant, Greg Kinnear and Matthew McConaughey will reportedly be among those aiming to raise $500,000 for local and international children’s charities. Planned events include a celebrity poker challenge, a fashion show, an auction, golf and a benefit concert by Quaid’s band The Sharks.

The Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend has become an annual event since its inauguration in 2003, and has raised $700,000 to date. This year’s event will benefit Any Baby Can, Austin Children’s Shelter, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, and the International Hospital for Children.

Multiple Sclerosis Society Gets Rowling Donation

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:19:09 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Britain’s Multiple Sclerosis Society, of which JK Rowling is a patron, received a “significant” donation from the author of the best-selling “Harry Potter” book series.

The money will help fund a new £2.5 million research centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, that will further the charity’s work towards finding a cure for the disease.

Rowling’s mother Anne died from the neurological disease in 1990 aged 45, and around 85,000 people in the UK alone currently have the disabling condition.

Of her donation, Rowling said, “It means a great deal to me to be able to provide support for this much needed research centre. It is an extremely exciting step forward in the on-going battle to try to unlock the mysteries of MS and which will hopefully, one day, lead to a cure.”

Written by Steve Purcell

Bono’s AIDS charity (RED) is set to benefit from an arrangement the singer has made in conjunction with Motorola and the UK’s Carphone Warehouse.

Each sale of a £149 handset from Motorola will be met with a £10 contribution to the charity from the electronics giant, and 5% of subsequent call charges will also go directly to the charity.

Bono has helped (RED) build similar partnerships with Gap, American Express, Emporio Armani and Converse.

Forbes' "Most Generous Celebrities" List

Fri, 19 May 2006 14:04:00 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Forbes Magazine has published a list of “Generous Celebrities”, highlighting the incredible generosity of some of the world’s most public faces.

The ten celebrities listed are:

Bono supports AIDS charity DATA and many others
Sandra Bullock gave $1m to the American Red Cross after the 9/11 bombings, and has also donated to the Tsunami relief fund
Nicolas Cage supports Chrysalis, an LA charity for the homeless, and gave $1m to Katrina relief
Jackie Chan is a UNICEF ambassador, founded the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, and gave $100,000 to Chrysalis
Céline Dion is Celebrity Patron for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and donated $1m to the American Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina
Angelina Jolie has given more than $3m to the UNHCR
Paul McCartney supports the Adopt-A-Minefield charity, and he and wife Heather Mills jointly donateed $1.9m to Tsunami relief
Arnold Schwarzenegger supports the Special Olympics, and in 2001 he donated a total of $4.1m to the Twin Towers fund, After-School All-Stars and Nelson Mandela’s children’s fund
Steven Spielberg is a patron of the Righteous Persons Foundation, founder of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, and gave $1.5m to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts
Oprah gave $52m to charity in 2005 alone, and wrote a personal cheque for $10m to help victims of the Katrina disaster

Beckham Party Raises £2m

Wed, 24 May 2006 21:34:00 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Media darlings Victoria and David Beckham invited their celebrity friends and acquaintances to a ‘Full Length and Fabulous’ charity party last weekend, and raised £2m for UNICEF in the process.

Conceived as a party to usher in the soccer World Cup, the event boasted a guest list that included Robbie Williams, Diddy, Kate Moss, Sarah Ferguson, top football players and others.

Guests bid on items ranging from a £300,000 limited edition Bentley car to a meal cooked by Ozzy Osbourne — the latter was snapped up by a businessman for £62,000.

David Beckham’s teammate in the England soccer team, Wayne Rooney, paid £150,000 for his girlfriend to spend a weekend with Diddy at the rap star’s luxurious house in New York.

Look To The Stars News: Health

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