FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2020
Newswise — (Kansas City, MO): There’s nothing like a pajama party to break the doldrums of social isolation! Dig out your favorite PJs and join the Vasculitis Foundation (VF) for its first-ever virtual fundraising event, the VF Pajama Party! Just one week away, the event takes place Saturday, June 20, at 9 pm ET.
Net proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward essential programs and educational resources for people living with vasculitis—a rare, but often serious autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels.
Hollywood actress Jamie Lee Curtis is one of the evening’s headliners, and she’ll bring a message of reassurance and hope, said Beth Westbrook, VF Senior Director of Outreach, and a longtime friend of Curtis. The famous actress’s mother, Janet Leigh, passed away from vasculitis in 2004.
Other special guests include:
- Jim Peterik, a Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter, who has written or co-written platinum-selling songs beloved by all ages, like “The Eye of The Tiger,” “Vehicle” and “Hold on Loosely,” to name but a few. His past work with .38 Special, Sammy Hagar, and Survivor again, to name but a few, is legendary; and for the past 55 years he has called Chicago’s own “Ides of March” his musical home.
- Andrea Pittini, an Italian pianist, composer, and music producer
- Gifted violinist and VF board member Allison Ross; and VF Board member Peter Grayson, MD, of the NIH-NIAMS, along with his three daughters
- VF medical experts Peter Merkel, MD, and Tony Sreih, MD, among others!
- Patients, who will give testimonials
Co-hosts Ben Wilson and Kaley Beins, the dynamic duo behind the VF’s Vasculitis Visionaries Podcasts, can’t wait to host this event. Wilson and Beins, VF Young Adult Group leaders, who both have vasculitis, will introduce guests.
“The goal of this event is to bring people together—one voice, one community—to celebrate who we are and the resilience we show in times of crisis,” said Westbrook. “Together, we will raise the critical funds to support education and awareness for the vasculitis community.”
Two tiers of tickets are available: A $20 ticket gets you into the virtual show, plus a snack pack; a $50 ticket gets you into the show, plus you’ll receive an official VF Pajama Part T-shirt and an assortment of snacks. Note: We cannot guarantee arrival of snacks and T-shirts in time for the event for tickets purchased after June 15, 2020. Which is all the more reason to buy your tickets today!
Purchase tickets or sign up to be a sponsor at: https://bit.ly/2YFHG3N. We look forward to sharing this special evening with you!
About VasculitisVasculitis is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow and damage vital organs and tissues. There are nearly 20 different forms of the disease. There is no cure at this time for vasculitis.
About the Vasculitis FoundationSince 1986, the Vasculitis Foundation has empowered patients through disease education, raising vasculitis awareness in the general public and medical community, and funding research to determine the cause, develop better treatments, and discover a cure.
The VF is committed to improving the lives of current and future patients and is positioned as the definitive resource for patients, family members, medical professionals, and researchers seeking information about vasculitis.
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