We stopped by the Orpheum today to grab some of the things we left from last night’s third annual Karaoke for the Kure: Solid Gold, and their crew were setting up for a concert. The floors and walls were still covered in gold glitter.
Around 350 of our incredible Tampa supporters showed up yesterday decked in gold to celebrate Ezra’s life (Karaoke for the Kure is always held close to his August 31st birthday), honor incredible kids fighting cancer today and in the past, and help us fund childhood cancer research. The place was dashingly gold, representing the color for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is September.
You couldn’t even get in the door without passing our friend Bobby in a full body gold suit, giving out glitter bombs. What’s a glitter bomb? For $10 he’d cover you or a friend in gold glitter. Judging from the pictures everyone posted this morning, glitter bombs were a hit!
Gold bracelets and the sound of Seattle natives Rockaraoke filled the packed house as our host, HOT 101.5’s Jayde Donovan, proved her passion for both finding a cure for neuroblastoma and delivering a near-flawless rendition of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice.” We craft Karaoke for the Kure with Ezra’s personality in mind; he danced every day, and loved making friends and singing. There’s really no way to sum up just how much fun “live band karaoke” is until you experience it.
Yes, childhood cancer is a tough truth to talk about, but we have a good time kicking it to the curb. We smile and laugh just as deeply as we cry. When you meet the families we’ve met, and see children fighting cancer, you know how serious this is. Our friends Dell and Laura Spiva shared about their son Tanner, his diagnosis of neuroblastoma, and how connecting with Dr Giselle Sholler changed their son’s life. He’s been in remission for two years now.
Dr Sholler, who chairs the NMTRC (one of the research organizations we fund), was just one of many pediatric oncologists in the crowd, and she spoke of the powerful research they’ve been doing, which Because of Ezra and you are helping to fund. The results are honestly astounding. Although more than half of kids with neuroblastoma relapse, in the past two years not a single child at her home hospital in Grand Rapids has relapsed. This is working.
Before Dr Sholler spoke, we debuted our latest video detailing just why we do this, and how much your support is needed. Watch it below, and please share!
Our great friend Jesse Miller deserves a bigger thank you than will fit on this page for the work she put in, as well as Lindsay Tracy. You two ladies were instrumental in Karaoke for the Kure working. And of course, to all our volunteers keeping things running smoothly while the rest of us enjoyed the night – THANK YOU. Our decorations crew led by Djenee and Lauren made the place look #SOLIDGOLD. We are so grateful to all of you!
With your help, we raised over $60,000 last night. We can’t wait for next year, and for Karaoke for the Kure in Vegas just two weeks from today. We were humbled and honored to see Tampa really show up this year, with some truly amazing volunteers, attendees, and organizations supporting childhood cancer research.
Deliver Media and Laser Spine Institute brought nearly 30 people EACH from their teams! We also want to thank Senator John Legg and his wife Suzanne for coming by, and for believing so strongly in this need. Both the Rays and the Lightning wowed us (owner for a day?!?!?!? Congrats, Brenda!), and Brighthouse Enterprise Solutions and Grow Financial have both made impressive commitments to childhood cancer outside Karaoke for the Kure. Fly Bar and Hill Ward Henderson have supported huge two years in a row now, and Florida Blue have been some of the most caring people we’ve met. Seeing Ezra’s face on billboards around Tampa thanks to Clear Channel Outdoor meant so much to us. To all our sponsors – your support strengthens our resolve and gives hope to families fighting childhood cancer today. Thank you.
To everyone who made it out last night, and to all those who were missed – thank you. Thank you for being a part of Because of Ezra. We do this for so many more kids than Ezra, kids whose lives really do depend on this work, and we simply could never do it alone. We need you, you are our village, and we love you all so much for being on our team. This matters. See you soon!
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