On May 16th, 2013 Jacob’s Cure, a non-profit foundation created to find a cure for Canavan disease, a rare fatal genetic brain disorder, hosted their “Dream Big” Gala at Chelsea’s Pier Sixty. The master of ceremony of the night was no other than Sherri Shepherd, co-host of The View, who followed the reigns of last years hosts, Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.
Over 800 influential, well-dressed New Yorkers in the fields of finance, real estate, fashion, entertainment and sports gathered together for a night filled with cocktails, dinner and entertainment. The event honored the Sklar brothers’ hard work, while continuing to raise funds necessary for lifesaving research into treatments and cures for Canavan disease.
Some of the VIP guests that attended were: Sherri Shepherd (The View), Jonathan Cheban (TV Personality), Jessica White (Model), Ryan Cabrera (Singer), Joanne Nosuchinsky (Ms. New York USA), Constantine Maroulis (American Idol), Julie Henderson (Model) and Shantel VanSanten (CW’s Beauty and the Beast)
Brian Sklar (financial firm BTIG) and Scott Sklar (Morgan Stanley) have been supporters of Jacob’s Cure since first learning of founder Jordana Holovach’s son Jacob, who is afflicted with Canavan disease. With their support, they helped her organize the first fundraiser in 2000, which raised $80,000 and ignited the fight for the cure. The galas have grown bigger and more influential ever since, with the 2012 event raising over $600,000, and the 2010 event raising $1.5 million.
The continued success and growth of the gala and the scope of the charity’s work is a testament to Jacob’s Cure’s supporters, who have never stopped “dreaming big” in the fight for a cure. On May 28th Jordana Holovach will travel to Washington DC to solicit the support of the National Institutes of Health in the fight against Canavan disease, for which she has already raised over $10 million.
To learn more about Jacob’s Cure go to: jacobscure.org
-Gemma Thomas
Author
