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| Jeff Foxworthy performs April 12th |
From our friends at the Esophageal Cancer Action Network...
Night of Comedy to Raise Awareness and Critically Needed Funds to Combat Esophageal Cancer
ECAN (Esophageal Cancer Action Network) will present No Laughing Matter, An Evening with Jeff Foxworthy - one of the country’s most respected and successful comedians - Sunday, April 12, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy.) in Arlington, Va.
The largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of more than 26 books, Jeff Foxworthy will share his side-splitting humor at this special fundraiser, while sending the message that “reflux disease is No Laughing Matter!”
“I'm glad to help ECAN get the word out that reflux disease is no laughing matter,” said Foxworthy, whose close friend lost her brother to Esophageal Cancer. “It's an important issue and it would be great if we could save some lives by making more people aware that they should take this seriously.”
Every 36 minutes, one American dies of Esophageal Cancer, which is one of the fastest growing cancer diagnoses in the country - up more than 600 percent in the past 35 years. The type of Esophageal Cancer increasing so rapidly in the U.S. is usually caused by reflux disease - what is often thought of as heartburn.
Taking place during Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, An Evening with Jeff Foxworthy will be the culmination of ECAN’s new multi-media public awareness campaign about the great risks posed by reflux: a condition many simply consider an annoyance. To send this serious message, ECAN is using a light touch with a funny twist and calling it No Laughing Matter.
“ECAN is thrilled that Jeff Foxworthy has donated his time to support our life-saving mission,” said ECAN President and CEO Mindy Mintz Mordecai, who founded the national non-profit organization after losing her husband and the father of their two young daughters to the disease in 2008. “With No Laughing Matter, we are taking our message to a larger audience and we believe we will save more lives as a result.”
The smart casual celebration begins at 5:30 PM with a sumptuous VIP Reception for approximately 200 guests featuring plentiful hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and the opportunity to meet and pose for pictures with Jeff Foxworthy.
At 7 PM, 1,000 guests are expected for the main event - a Cabaret-style night of entertainment with light fare, beer, wine and soft drinks; a live celebrity auction; an opening act (selected by voters in ECAN’s national online comedy competition), and Jeff Foxworthy’s headline performance.
Event chair is Philip Bass (partner, Private Equity Advisory Services, Ernst & Young), a long-time ECAN supporter who lost his childhood best friend to Esophageal Cancer.
Proceeds from An Evening with Jeff Foxworthy will help ECAN save lives by increasing awareness of the link between reflux disease and cancer, promoting early detection and supporting medical innovation to prevent, detect, treat and cure Esophageal Cancer.
Tickets are $79/person for the main event and $200/person for admission to the VIP reception and premium seating. Corporate sponsorships are also available. For tickets, sponsorships or more information, visit www.ECAN.org/NoLaughingMatter or call 410.358.ECAN (3226).
About ECAN:
A national non-profit organization, based in Baltimore, ECAN is led by a board of directors of top physicians, business leaders and families that have been touched by esophageal cancer. Through ECAN’s efforts, April has been formally designated as Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month across the United States. ECAN also published an innovative Guide for Patients with input from leading doctors across the nation, and it successfully advocated with the National Cancer Institute to include Esophageal Cancer in its groundbreaking genome mapping project known as The Cancer Genome Atlas. For more information, visit www.ECAN.org.
