Dom DeLuise's Charity Legacy

Wed, 06 May 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Actor Dom DeLuise sadly passed away on Monday, May 4, after a long battle with cancer. But the comedian is leaving a lasting legacy for charity.

In lieu of flowers, DeLuise’s family has asked for donations to some of his favorite charities, such as the Elixir Fund, the Lily Sanctuary, the Hydrocephalus Foundation, and the Pearl S. Buck Foundation.

DeLuise is also one of the stars who has donated doodles to this year’s annual Celebrity Doodle auction to raise money for Neurofibromatosis, Inc..

Imagine an unpredictable disease that causes tumors to form on the nerves of your body. Depending on their location, these tumors can cause disfigurement, dysfunction, deafness or blindness. In the wrong place they can be fatal. That is Neurofibromatosis, or NF for short. If that weren’t enough, NF can also cause learning disabilities, seizures, bone deformity and cancer. Currently, 100,000 Americans have NF; worldwide, 115 babies are born each day with this same genetic disorder.

Neurofibromatosis can affect any family. Half the children born with it have no family history of NF. Despite the many researchers studying this devastating condition, there is still no cure, and treatments are largely inadequate.

But there is hope. In support of its mission, NF, Inc., the national non-profit organization dedicated to serving families affected by NF, announces its third annual National Doodle Day fundraiser, an auction of “Doodles” by a wide range of celebrities and artists. Each contributor has donated and autographed a one-of-a-kind work of art drawn on a 5 × 8 Doodle Card. Beginning Thursday, May 7, these Doodles will be auctioned on eBay, with all funds raised supporting NF, Inc.

To date, over 75 celebrity Doodles have been posted to the NF, Inc. web site, and include: actors Christopher Atkins (The Blue Lagoon), Tom Bosley (Happy Days, Father Dowling Mysteries), James Cromwell (Babe), Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie), Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky & Hutch), Rue McClanahan (The Golden Girls), Chef Duff (Ace of Cakes), singers Tony Bennett, Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), Coach Bruce Boudreau (head coach, Washington Capitals ice hockey team), Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens starting quarterback), former Boston Celtics Tom Heinsohn, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, bestselling author Jodi Picoult and many more. To take a “sneak peek” at the Doodles, visit www.doodledayusa.org.

Last year’s auction raised $28,000 for NF, Inc. The top seller, at $2,749, was a Doodle by X-Files actress Gillian Anderson. The premiere auction in 2007 featured a Doodle by the junior senator from Illinois, now President Barack Obama! It sold for $2,075.

Celebrity Doodle Sale For Genetic Disorder

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:48:44 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One of the most exciting celebrity auctions of the year will take place in May to raise funds for an organization supporting sufferers of a painful and disfiguring condition.

National Doodle Day will kick off on May 8 as part of Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month, and will mark the start of a week-long auction of over 100 celebrity doodles from stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, Scarlett Johansson, and Goldie Hawn. Money from the doodles, which were hand-drawn by each celebrity on a 5" by 8" card, will benefit Neurofibromatosis, Inc., a national organization that supports NF patients, their families, and research into the disorder.

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is one of the most common genetic disorders in the Untied States, affecting one in every 2,500 births. It is a disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in the body at any time, and can lead to disfigurement, deafness, blindness, seizures, bone deformities, and cancer. Half of the children born with the condition have no family history of the disorder, so it can strike in any family without warning.

The doodle auction runs from May 8 to 18, and follows a successful auction run by the organization last year that featured one-of-a-kind works of art from Cindy Crawford, Kathy Griffin, Kenny G, Josh Groban, Jay Leno, Rick Springfield, Donald Trump, and The Fonz himself, Henry Winkler. However, the highest bid went to a drawing from Barack Obama, which sold for a massive $2,075.

Funds raised from the Doodle Day auction this year will go to support education, advocacy, coalitions, and research for treatments and a cure. Other stars who have put their drawing skills to good use include Gillian Anderson, Candice Bergen, Jeff Bridges, David Cassidy, Dom DeLuise, Garfield creator Jim Davis, Julia Louis Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Seth Green, and many more. There is also an autographed photo and NCIS call-sheet from Mark Harmon on offer.

To view the doodles for sale, visit the Doodle Day website or www.nfinc.org.

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