New Day Foundation Hosts Gala for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

No family should fight cancer alone or make unthinkable choices between medical treatment and providing basic necessities. New Day Foundation for Families, a Michigan nonprofit dedicated to reducing the effects of financial toxicity and emotional stress caused by cancer, will host its annual Hope Shines Gala on Friday, September 21, from 6:00 p.m. to 12 midnight at the Atheneum Hotel in Greektown to raise funds for local families facing cancer.

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Hope Shines Gala 2018

In honor of their son, Sam Kell, who is facing brain cancer, New Day Co-founders Michael Spehn and Gina Kell Spehn are asking guests to “Go Gold” or wear gold in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The gala will feature exceptional cuisine, top-shelf cocktails, silent and live auctions, raffles, music and dancing.  To purchase tickets or sponsorships, or to simply donate, visit the New Day Event Webpage. Individual tickets are $200 each and include dinner, drinks, valet parking and entertainment. A portion of all ticket purchases is tax deductible. Funds raised at the Hope Shines Gala will have a positive and lasting impact on treatment outcomes and survivorship by reducing the catastrophic effects of financial toxicity caused by a cancer diagnosis.

Today New Day Foundation for Families celebrates more than a decade of helping local families face cancer, providing financial and emotional assistance to fight the Cancer Related Financial Toxicity (CRFT) that can accompany a cancer diagnosis. Due to the high cost of cancer, a health crisis can throw a family into bankruptcy or homelessness in just six months. As a result, CRFT is on the rise, linking the negative financial impact of cancer costs to a decline in positive treatment outcomes for the patient. Over the past decade, New Day has assisted more than 500 patients, impacting the lives of thousands of family members.

“When New Day helps families manage expenses, which often become unmanageable due to loss of income and increased expenses related to cancer treatment, patients will be more likely to adhere to cancer treatment, attend doctor appointments, fill prescriptions and maintain overall medical compliance,” said Gina Kell Spehn, co-founder and president of New Day. “This ultimately leads to improved survival rates as we see a decline in CRFT among these families.”

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and New Day is also a member of the Michigan Cancer Coalition.  According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, childhood cancer is the #1 disease-related cause of death for children in the U.S. and many other countries. For those who survive, two-thirds will also endure chronic health conditions from the toxic side effects of cancer treatment, including secondary cancers and other life-threatening illnesses.

The Hope Shines Gala is supported by Diamond Sponsors Express Employment Professionals and Allstate, as well as Platinum Sponsors Beaumont Health Systems and Clean Planet Foods. For more information on corporate sponsorship opportunities, visit the Hope Shines Gala Webpage or contact jo@newdayff.org.

Michael Spehn and Gina Kell Spehn are the co-founders of New Day. Married in 2007 after each being widowed with young children, the legacies of their first spouses, Matt Kell and Cathy Spehn, who both died of cancer only six weeks apart, live on through New Day and are shared in their NY Times Bestselling book, The Color of Rain. This heartbreaking, yet hope-filled story of how two families found faith, hope and love in the midst of tragedy, is the catalyst behind New Day. In 2014, The Color of Rain was adapted for television and became the highest rated original movie in Hallmark Movie Channel history. Their son Sam’s ongoing battle with brain cancer is chronicled on the “Pray for Sam Kell” facebook page.

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