The event was held at the Westin in Mt. Laurel on April 14 to accelerate breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat Type 1 Diabetes.
The Unmask The Cure Gala organized by the JDRF South Jersey Chapter raised close to $450,000 at The Westin in Mt. Laurel on April 14 to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat Type 1 Diabetes and its complications.
“We are grateful for the incredible support of community and business leaders here in South Jersey,” said Nanette Gerst, executive director of the JDRF South Jersey Chapter. “The dollars raised at this year’s event will help lighten the burden on 1.25 million Americans with type one diabetes and help us realize our vision of a world without T1D.”
This was an extra special year. A group of businessmen approached the chapter asking if they could make this year’s honoree a surprise. They did all of the fundraising and ‘’unveiled” their names that night. This year George and Chrissie Greatrex were honored for their long time support and commitment to finding a cure for T1D and their daughter, Emily. There was a special feel in the air that night when everyone was told who our surprise honorees were. “There isn’t a better deserving couple than George and Chrissie”, said Tom Deeney, chapter president.
The crowd participated in a silent auction and live auction, bidding on items including a trip to Italy, which sold for an impressive $24,000. The evening ended with the signature JDRF Fund A Cure, a staple of the JDRF Gala program. Guests raised their bid cards enthusiastically, knowing 100 percent of all tax-deductible contributions will fund research for JDRF’s most crucial research priorities.
More than 100 JDRF galas take place each year in the United States, bringing together thousands of people who are inspired by JDRF’s mission. As a signature JDRF fundraising event, the JDRF Gala Program has raised more than $1 billion for life-changing T1D research — research that has led to breakthrough discoveries, many of which have already moved into clinical trials and real-world testing. Although there has been considerable progress, there is so much more we have yet to accomplish.
