Renal Support Network welcomed many stars from the Los Angeles area to its 8th Annual “Beat The Odds Celebrity Charity Bingo & Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament”.
“Beat the Odds” was a fun-filled day that offered great prizes, a silent auction, a dinner, great desserts, and a chance to mingle and compete against stars from various genres of the entertainment industry. This year the Texas Hold’Em winners were: Harvey Wells-1st Place, Dean Ronalds-2nd Place, and Jimmy Delle Valle-3rd Place.
“When living with kidney disease you must be strategic and learn your best options to survive. Poker is very similar. Can’t believe this is my second win. It’s so much fun. I’m thrilled to support the cause, especially the Renal Teen Prom,” said Harvey Wells.
One of the highlights of this year’s event was a special live auction item courtesy of actor Jack Black. He donated “Lunch with Jack Black” for two people, his treat! Mayan Lopez, actor and daughter of Ann Serrano Lopez and George Lopez, won with the highest bid of $1,800. Jeffrey Glick, MD. won the grand Bingo prize of a Smart TV, which he generously donated back to RSN.
Phillip Palmer, ABC Eyewitness News and long-time friend of RSN said, “Kids shouldn’t get sick, but when they do we need to be there for them… amazing doctors and nurses try to heal them physically, but people like Lori Hartwell and her team at RSN help them feel better emotionally. The Renal Prom is quite simply one of the greatest events of the year… helping kids be kids… and if playing poker helps Lori and her work? Then sign me up!”
Ann Serrano Lopez said, “Lori and the RSN team work so hard for people who have kidney disease and being a live kidney donor I know what that’s all about. And I just want to help in any way I can.”
“It’s really wonderful that this event brings so much awareness to the people who attend and to the community. Over 100,000 people are awaiting a transplant and 1 in 10 are at risk for kidney disease and over 120,000 people are waiting for a life-saving transplant. I am thankful for the celebrity guest and volunteers who come to support this event and help people who have kidney disease ‘beat the odds’,” said Lori Hartwell.
Thank you to all the celebrities, guests and volunteers for making this event a success.
RSN thanks its corporate partners, Amgen, Davita, Fresenius Medical Care, and U.S. Renal Care for their support of the 8th Annual Beat the Odds Celebrity Charity Bingo & Texas Hold’Em Tournament.
The Renal Support Network (RSN) is a nonprofit patient-run organization that empowers people who have kidney disease to become knowledgeable about their illness, proactive in their care, hopeful about their future and make friendships that last a lifetime. RSN’s hopeful and life-enriching, non-medical programs help people who have kidney disease and their families, whether they are in the early stages of the disease, are on dialysis, or have received a transplant. Learn more here.
