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CARES Foundation Event an Evening to Remember

UNION, NJ, June 21, 2006 -- On the evening of Saturday, June 17, 2006, around 200 people gathered at the Maplewood Country Club dressed in casino casual attire raising $150,000 for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) research, education and support.

June 17, 2006, Maplewood, NJ - CARES Foundation Staff with Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco at “Celebrating Five Years of Saving Our Babies,” (l-r): Erin Anthony, CARES Associate Director Meryl Stone, CARES Executive Director Kelly Leight, Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco, Mariel Vargas

"What a way to celebrate!" exclaimed Kelly Leight, executive director of CARES.

An awareness and fundraising event, "Celebrating Five Years of Saving Our Babies" was a night of cocktails, dinner, casino games, silent and live auctions and a Luxury Raffle. Former Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco was honored for his signing of Executive Order 126 that led to the dramatic expansion of newborn screening in New Jersey saving nearly 300 babies since 2001 from death, severe mental retardation, or devastating disability by being able to detect genetic metabolic and endocrine diseases and administer early intervention. The foundation itself also celebrated the progress it has made in recovering since its Millburn offices were destroyed by fire earlier this year.

Corporate sponsors included: Pfizer Inc, KeySpan Home Energy Services, Rolex USA and Commerce Bank.

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a family of inherited disorders affecting the adrenal gland. If undetected at birth, the severe form of CAH can result in life-threatening imbalances in salt and hormone levels leading to adrenal crisis and possibly death. Frequently, newborn babies show no outward signs of the disorder and are sent home only to present a few weeks later for urgent medical attention at a time when they are beyond resuscitation. The effects of milder forms of CAH include impaired growth, infertility, and significant quality-of-life issues. An autosomal recessive genetic disorder, CAH affects males and females in equal numbers; however, its frequency varies by ethnicity. For example, the milder form affects one in 27 Ashkenazi Jews, one in 40 Hispanics, one in 53 Croatians, and one in 300 Italians.

The CARES Foundation is a 501(c)3 on-profit membership and advocacy organization committed to improving the lives of families and individuals affected by CAH through proactively advancing research for a cure, educating the public and health care professionals, advocating for universal comprehensive newborn screening, and providing support services and resources vital to the CAH community worldwide.

Contact:
Kelly Leight
Kelly@caresfoundation.org
CARES Foundation, Inc.
2414 Morris Ave., Suite 110
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: (908) 364-0272
Toll-free: (866) 227-3737
Fax: (908) 686-2019
URL: www.caresfoundation.org

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