Celebrate Wellness celebrates 23rd year at South Coast Botanic Garden
Colleen McDermott sings “Nothing Stops Another Day” from “Ghost the Musical” at Celebrate Wellness, in tribute to her mother. Photo /CSCRB
A performance of “Nothing Stops Another Day” from “Ghost the Musical” by Palos Verdes High graduate Colleen McDermott highlighted the 22nd annual Celebrate Wellness food and beverage tasting on Sunday at the South Coast Botanic Garden.
McDermott sang in memory of her mother who succumbed to cancer two years ago. McDermott was only six months old when her mother was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Over the next 16 years, her mother found support at Cancer Support Community-Redondo Beach (CSCRB). When her mother died McDermott’s father joined a bereavement group and McDermott joined a teen bereavement group at CSCRB.
“CSCRB gave my father and me a community to be a part of, a safe haven where we could share our thoughts and feelings about my mom’s passing,” McDermott said. “The teen group was especially helpful to me because it gave me a group of kids my own age who went through what I went through, and I could be real with them about exactly what happened.”
More than 500 guests sampled fare from over the 30 restaurants, wineries and breweries that participated in the late afternoon garden party. The event generated net proceeds of $170,000, which will help fund over 200 free support programs each month for cancer patients and their loved ones offered by CSCRB.
“It was a perfect day in every way,” said CSCRB Executive Director/CEO Paula Moore. “Fantastic weather, food, and drink, in a beautiful setting, surrounded by a compassionate and giving community of people. A heartfelt thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, vendors, and attendees whose generosity enables us to continue to make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer.”
The program was opened by Adrienne Nakashima, CEO of the South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation, which hosted the event. CSCRB co-founders Tom Simko, MD and Anne Clary, LMFT invoked a moment of silence in memory of CSCRB co-founder Jean McMillan, who passed away last month.
Sponsors for the event included Jim and Joanne Hunter, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance and San Pedro, City of Hope and many more. For more information about CSCRB’s free educational and support programs for cancer patients and their loved ones, call (310) 376-3550 or visit cancersupportredondobeach.org.