Cure Duchenne to Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary at Champions to Cure Duchenne Gala

CureDuchenne will host our annual Champions to CureDuchenne Newport Beach Gala on Saturday, March 29 at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort. The event will celebrate CureDuchenne’s 10 years of successfully advancing Duchenne research. We’ll honor Doug Freeman, the business leader who helped shape our venture philanthropy model; dine on a delicious meal created by our celebrity chef, Jamie Gwen; and enjoy a live musical performance of a song written for those impacted with Duchenne by Sarah Burgess. All proceeds of the Champions to CureDuchenne Gala will support the most promising research projects aimed at treating and curing Duchenne.

Doug Freeman

Doug Freeman is the architect of CureDuchenne’s strategy to raise philanthropic funds and invest them in companies that are working with promising drugs to help cure Duchenne. From CureDuchenne’s inception in 2004, this model has enabled the nonprofit to leverage $100 million from biotech and pharmaceutical companies to fund Duchenne research. CureDuchenne has funded seven research projects that have advanced to human clinical trials.

As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we recognize Doug’s creativity, insight and passion for CureDuchenne’s mission from our inception. We are grateful for Doug’s vision and support. Today, we continue to identify and fund the most promising and innovative therapies with the goal of translating them to clinical trials as quickly as possible.

Freeman provides strategic planning and organizational management advice for business, nonprofit, foundation, and family clients and has consulted nearly 300 family foundations, support organizations and public charities throughout the United States. He serves on the board of directors at First Foundation Inc. and on several nonprofit organizations, including the University of California, Irvine Foundation and Orange County’s Pacific Symphony. Freeman is the author of three books and more than 30 articles and treatises on philanthropy and wealth planning. He is also the co-founder of National Philanthropy Day.

“Seeing the venture philanthropy model accelerate research focused on finding a cure for Duchenne is inspirational,” said Freeman.  “I’m honored to support the passionate philanthropists behind this organization in reaching their important goal to save the lives of so many youngsters.”

Chef Jamie Gwen

We are thrilled to have Chef Jamie Gwen create a special menu for our Champions to CureDuchenne Gala to help make this a memorable event for our guests.

Gwen is a celebrity chef, certified sommelier, lifestyle expert and four-time cookbook author who has been featured on television, on the radio and in print from coast-to-coast for more than a decade. She hosts a weekly Syndicated Radio Show that can be heard every Sunday on 70 radio stations across the country and in Southern California on KFWB News Talk 980. Gwen recently won the Food Network’s new show “Cutthroat Kitchen.”  

“I am delighted to be designing the menu for the Champions to CureDuchenne Newport Beach Gala,” said Gwen. “Giving back to my community through philanthropy and delighting palates both fill my heart with joy, so it is a true honor to be included in this year’s festivities.”

Sarah Burgess

The Champions to CureDuchenne Gala will also feature a live musical performance by  Sarah Burgess, singer-songwriter and contestant on the sixth season of American Idol. Burgess wrote a song called “Run Away” to benefit CureDuchenne. Burgess’ 7-year-old brother Jacob lives with Duchenne.

“I was inspired to write the song ‘Run Away’ by the courage of my brother and all the boys who live with Duchenne,” said Burgess. “I was put on this earth to create music and I want to use my music to help raise awareness about Duchenne and fund research to find a cure for this devastating disease.”

The Champions to CureDuchenne Gala will highlight both the urgency and hope of finding a cure for Duchenne. We believe in order to find the cure we need to fund the cure. CureDuchenne will continue to fund research to help this generation of boys living with Duchenne.

Go to www.CureDuchenne.org/NewportBeachGala to purchase tables and tickets. Or call at 949-872-2552. Thank you for your support.

Together we can CureDuchenne.