In only it's second year, Voices of Hope was a huge success raising over $45,000 for the Expect Miracles Foundation — the fundraising arm of Mutual Funds Against Cancer!
The first fundraiser of its kind, |Voices of Hope| is a musical theater production created by Greg Chastain and built by cast members who have either battled or been adversely affected by cancer. On September 16th, the cast members were able to share their stories of hope, loss, and courage through song, dance, and testimonials, allowing for an intimate and inspiring look at our collective fight against cancer to an audience of over 850 at Boston's historic Symphony Hall.
The evening began with an exciting silent auction and cocktail reception featuring live music from students of Berklee's Music Therapy Department. MFAC was delighted to have harpist Jessica Brizuela and pianist Aiko Onuma entertain guests during the pre-event reception. Dr. Ron DePinho also addressed sponsors about the research being done at the Center for Applied Cancer Science and re-instilled the message that there is hope in finding a cure.
Boston's very own Joyce Kulhawik - best known as the Emmy award-winning Arts & Entertainment Critic for Boston's CBS affiliate - is also a three-time cancer survivor and hosted the event. Joyce's accolades are endless and it was an honor to have her take part in the event– as she told her own heroic story and urged the audience to trust in one's self and never give up in the face of diagnosis.
There were tears of joy and sadness and moments of smiles and laughter as these passionate artists took to the stage in the artfully woven production. We would like to thank Greg Chastain, the cast, sponsors, donors and the audience for an inspirational and memorable evening!