Heroes for Healing Gala 2017

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Pillsbury applauds Semma Arzapalo and all other candidates at this year’s Heroes for Healing Gala.

We also offer special congratulations to the Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times on their 35th Anniversary.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 725 South Figueroa Street, Suite 2800 | Los Angeles, CA 90017 +1.213.488.7100 | pillsburylaw.com

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Welcome to our second annual Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ® Heroes for Healing event! Our inaugural Heroes for Healing fundraiser was a great success having raised funds necessary to continue Camp’s commitment to cost-free programs. The hero theme was inspired by all of the heroes that are part of the Camp family.

There are the brave children fighting cancer and the family members battling alongside them. There are the doctors and nurses who’ve donated their time and expertise, working hard so that these children recover and thrive. Without our medical partners Camp could not exist. There are the hundreds of volunteers that give selflessly of their time, love, and passion to give our campers the best experience possible. Behind the scenes are Camp’s incredibly generous donors who continue to invest in the unique healing experience Camp shares with over 1,600 campers every year.

There are not enough ways for us to thank these heroes.

Leading our efforts is a dedicated and enthusiastic Board of Trustees. Because of their time, leadership, and expertise, Camp is able to respond to the needs of the pediatric cancer community and to deliver the highest quality programs possible. Finally, Camp’s staff are heroes in their own right, fiercely committed to our mission and to the families we serve.

Tonight we come together to celebrate our special heroes. We celebrate Diane DiMarco Davis, who, as one of Camp’s most committed nurses, will receive The Barco’s Nightingales SM Foundation Award for Nursing Excellence for her extraordinary contributions to the field of nursing.

We also celebrate our ten Heroes for Healing candidates. Over the last six weeks, they’ve worked tirelessly to raise funds to support Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times’ beloved programs. Only one candidate will be named Hero of the Year tonight but let us remember that they are all winners. Deeply committed to Camp’s mission and the impact we have, these selfless individuals took on our challenge to compete in this campaign, their passion and dedication making Camp’s healing power possible.

Tonight let us also celebrate Camp’s 35th birthday. As a program of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California ®, Camp has made a positive impact on the lives of children with cancer and their families for the last 35 years. Thank you to the sponsors and individuals that donate treasures and talent to Camp year after year.

Thanks to tonight’s sponsors and each of you that donated your efforts to make this evening possible. Your support tonight makes it possible to provide a healing camp experience free of charge to every camper. Without all of our Heroes, we cannot achieve our mission.

With tremendous gratitude,

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VINCE BRYSON

JODIE LESH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California

Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times

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Bel Air Investment Advisors Proudly Salutes all the Heroes And their generous contributions to Camp Ronald McDonald For Good Times

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Susan and Daniel Kane R A I N B O W

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the Davidow Charitable Fund O F

Jenna Heim Espie Quintero

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Rick and Pat Kessler

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Ed and Lynn Lieberman Josh “Gummy” Hoa Pham Andy Shapiro S P E C I A L

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Thersa “Sharkbait” Yu

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5:00 pm

COCKTAIL RECEPTION AND SILENT AUCTION 6:30 pm

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION Ed Lieberman, Master of Ceremonies

THE BARCO’S NIGHTINGALES FOUNDATION AWARD FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE SM

Presented to Diane DiMarco Davis

CAMP RONALD McDONALD for GOOD TIMES TESTIMONIAL Presented by Jenna Heim

HEROES for HEALING CANDIDATES INTRODUCTION Presented by Brian Crater and Chad Edwards

HERO of the YEAR AWARD PRESENTATION Presented by Fatima Djelmane Rodriguez

The HEROES FOR HEALING campaign is a spirited competition between passionate individuals determined to make a difference in the lives of children living with cancer. The candidates, selected to participate by nomination, creatively outreach within their communities in an effort to raise much needed funds for Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times®. Every dollar generated is counted as a vote. The candidate with the most votes is crowned Camp’s HERO OF THE YEAR!

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There are over 100 hospitals in L.A., but when it comes to treating kids, only Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is ranked “Best” among pediatric hospitals

by U.S. News & World Report. And treating kids is all we do. So if your child ever needs care, remember, a grown-up hospital is no place for a kid.

Find out more at CHLA.org

THE BARCO’S NIGHTINGALES FOUNDATION A W A R D F O R N U R S I N G E X C E L L E N C E Diane DiMarco Davis, better known at Camp as “3D”, began volunteering with Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ® in the late 80’s, not long after Camp was first founded. A nursing student at USC at the time, Diane recalls her mother, Donna telling her about an interesting local pediatric doctor who appeared on the Phil Donahue Show. That doctor was one of Camp’s founders, Dr. Stu Siegel.

On the TV talk show, Dr. Siegal shared the trials that children with cancer and their families face and how Camp Good Times was having a positive impact on their lives. Diane decided to look into this special Camp and, what was a chance recommendation, soon became a lifelong passion.

Diane started at Camp as a cabin counselor but has also served as an activity counselor and a staff director. As an ER nurse, Diane’s emergency skills complimented the Oncology team in the Med Shed. Diane was able to make the transition to the Med Shed easily and became a part of the critical medical team that makes every Camp session possible. It is because of the 24-hour medical care that Diane and her capable colleagues are able to provide that campers and their families waiting at home can rest easy, knowing that no matter the medical scenario, Camp is prepared.

Diane shares this passion for camp with her husband, John, and her two children, Elisabeth (also known as Elisabear at camp) and Sean all of whom have joined the Camp family as counselors and staff.

The Barco’s Nightingales SM Foundation Award for Nursing Excellence honors nurses who have not only contributed to the advancement of the nursing profession, but are also committed to humanitarian work volunteering their time and sharing their professional skills to those in need.

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Natalie was just two years old in 2008 when her sister Valerie was diagnosed with cancer at the early age of 10.

Her illness keeping Valerie homebound, Natalie was able to spend an abundance of quality time with Valerie, often during outpatient chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The two sisters developed a deep connection and it was Natalie who knew how to bring a smile to Valerie’s face. She may have been just a baby herself but her sister’s cancer had a profound affect on Natalie.

That same year, Valerie and Natalie’s older sister Amanda attended Camp for the first time. Still undergoing treatment and unable to eat, Valerie saw an increase in energy and vitality. She began to eat again, surprising both her mother and attending doctors. Camp was a place where negativity was left behind, where she could develop an identity beyond her illness, where she could be a normal kid - not a cancer patient.

Camp’s significant impact on her sisters - filling their lives with laughter, friendship, and happiness - trickled down to Natalie and she patiently awaited the day when she too would be able to join her sisters at Camp.

Unfortunately Valerie passed away on September 30th, 2009 before the siblings could attend Camp together.

Once Natalie celebrated her ninth birthday she eagerly registered for Summer Camp. She returned home from her own Camp experience beaming from ear to ear. She too had been able to share in the amazing place that her sisters loved and had once called home. She now knew first hand just what made Camp so special - that at Camp there were no worries, no fears, no sickness, all replaced with love, encouragement, and acceptance.

Natalie has always been friendly and outgoing, but her experience at Camp helped her grow personally. She felt the need to help others more than ever, using her story to inspire her fellow fifth graders while spreading awareness about the affects cancer has on a family. Her experiences encourage the siblings of cancer patients to be sensitive to their family’s needs and to remain optimistic no matter the outlook. At Camp, her natural ease and positive energy bring light and joy into the lives of others.

Natalie is certainly mature beyond her years. We’re so glad to have her as part of the Camp family!

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I have spent a majority of my volunteer time helping children. On a pro bono basis, I have represented children in asylum matters, adoptions, and individuals obtaining legal guardianships over young children.

Outside of pro bono matters, I enjoy volunteering at my son’s pre-school and mentoring high school students preparing them for college.

I was diagnosed with a Wilm’s tumor in 1981 and was under treatment for a year and a half. My mom is wearing sunglasses in every picture from that time because she did not want me to see her crying. My parents were told that I had a less than 15% chance of surviving. My childhood contained frequent visits to specialists, clinics, and other forms of treatment.

When presented with the opportunity to become a Heroes for Healing candidate, it seemed like a natural fit based on my dedication to children. As fate would have it there was another sign that I was meant to participate in this important campaign. I recently learned that one of my cousins who had cancer when we were kids attended Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ® and loved it!

Though the odds were not good at the time of my diagnosis, because of the excellent treatment by Dr. Stuart Siegel at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles I beat the odds. I finished treatment thirty-four years ago and have had no major complications since.

Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times provides an invaluable experience, as I was able to witness firsthand when I visited Camp this past summer, to children like my cousin who have been impacted by cancer.

I’ve been married for twenty years to the greatest wife, Mera. She has been a perfect sidekick to my antics, pranks, and jokes with which I constantly harass her.

She is the love of my life and I am honored to be her husband. Together we have three amazing children Owen (15), Abbey (13), and Ethan (12). They are all with me at the gala tonight.

and, most importantly, it is about creating a loving community where children affected by cancer can leave their worries behind for one week out of the year.

and, most importantly, it is about creating a loving community where children affected by cancer can leave their worries behind for one week out of the year.

In my 19 years of volunteering, I have been privileged to witness this impact time and time again with the campers I have met. I think about Josh, who despite being mostly blind and hobbled by a variety of other ailments, expressed more joy and laughter every single second of the day at Camp than few other people I have ever met in my life.

In my 19 years of volunteering, I have been privileged to witness this impact time and time again with the campers I have met. I think about Josh, who despite being mostly blind and hobbled by a variety of other ailments, expressed more joy and laughter every single second of the day at Camp than few other people I have ever met in my life.

I think about Adam who, despite losing a younger sibling to cancer a few years prior, came to Camp every summer after and took great pride in being an outstanding role model for younger campers. And I think about Joseph who came to Camp this summer after undergoing brain surgery a few weeks earlier – he was filled with so much anxiety that he couldn’t even sleep on the first night. But within a few days, he had rediscovered his smile and was having an absolute blast. Stories like these are why I continue to devote a sizeable chunk of my vacation time to Camp each and every summer.

I think about Adam who, despite losing a younger sibling to cancer a few years prior, came to Camp every summer after and took great pride in being an outstanding role model for younger campers. And I think about Joseph who came to Camp this summer after undergoing brain surgery a few weeks earlier – he was filled with so much anxiety that he couldn’t even sleep on the first night. But within a few days, he had rediscovered his smile and was having an absolute blast. Stories like these are why I continue to devote a sizeable chunk of my vacation time to Camp each and every summer.

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I am honored to have been asked to participate in Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times’ Heroes for Healing fundraising campaign, as a Hero for Healing candidate.

Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ® has been a staple of my life for nearly a decade. It is by far the most important thing I do outside of the hospital.

In 1996 I led the Disney/McDonalds 10-year marketing alliance for The Walt Disney Company. The most rewarding aspect of the job was my personal involvement with The Ronald McDonald House Charities and specifically, Camp. Over the last 20 years I have experienced the way in which Camp dramatically impacts the lives of kids with cancer.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, they are often pulled away from their friends for hospitalizations or doctors’ visits, they may look different from other kids their age, or they may suffer permanent disability.

Camp is a place where all of these things don’t matter, and every camper can be proud of who they are.

Camp provides a way for each child to feel like other kids and, just as important, gives them something to look forward to all year long. Summer becomes the time of the year to reconnect with their friends who are dealing with the same disease.

I genuinely believe that Camp can cure the effects of cancer that the medications can’t reach. I believe in this organization with all of my heart and I am honored to have been chosen as a fundraising leader for the Heroes for Healing campaign.

I am moving across the country in 2018, far from the campers and staff who have been instrumental in shaping my life. Of course I will always remain involved with Camp, but I feel that the Heroes for Healing campaign is the perfect going away gift to the campers who mean the most to me.

I first volunteered at Camp over 20 years ago. At the time, I was in Law School complaining about professors, test and grades, and the job interview process. A friend (properly) cut me off and suggested I spend a week of my summer at Camp. I didn’t know what to expect but that week helped shape who I am today.

At first, Camp was simply fun; running around with kids, playing games and singing a lot of silly songs. Sure there were kids who had visible signs of the impact that cancer had had, but overall, they were all just kids looking for “good times.”

As the week went on and the kids became more comfortable with each other and the counselors, they began to tell their stories. It was then that I could only begin to understand some of what they, their parents, siblings, and family had and continue to go through.

My complaints became insignificant.

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I stayed active as a counselor for several years, volunteering the following summer and during Winter and Family Camp sessions. Work and family made it more difficult to commit the time during the summer but I continue to volunteer for weekend sessions and other Camp events. Being on the Board not only allows me to stay connected and help ensure that Camp continues to grow and develop, but also gives me an opportunity to share my experience and the amazing things that Camp does.

Overall, Camp has grounded me, makes me appreciate all that we have. These kids have remarkable courage and resilience and remind me that there is little point in sweating the small stuff.

Yes, there will always be others who appear to have more or be happier, but there are also a lot who have less. For me, Camp gives me perspective.

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I joined this campaign because I was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer called retinoblastoma when I was an infant. At only five months old, I underwent surgery and had my right eye removed; at seven months, I was given my first artificial eye. I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to avoid chemotherapy and radiation throughout my journey with cancer.

I first started going to Camp for twice-a-year Work Weekends when I was nine years old, participating in Camp projects such as painting, making repairs, and maintaining the facilities. I estimate that I have spent close to 500 hours working at Camp and I enjoy every moment of my time there. I take great pleaser in making improvements that will enhance the experience for our campers and their families.

At the age of 10, my parents were informed by a nurse about Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times®. I attended Camp that summer and had a blast! Camp was a place where I could be myself. Most importantly, I was not judged or treated any different because I once had cancer. I attended Camp every summer until I went off to college. Throughout my many summers at camp, I gained countless memories and made amazing friendships that I still cherish to this day. This is an absolutely incredible organization for children with cancer and their families. I’m happy to give back to a place that has given me so much.

An added bonus is that I have also become close friends and colleagues with the Camp facilities staff.

My mom, Jodie, has been on the Camp Ronald McDonald Board of Directors for several years and is now the Chair. My sister Isabelle just completed her second year as a summer Camp counselor. My family and I have met so many wonderful families that have been helped by Camp; these lasting relationships have equally enriched our lives. I’m proud to be a part of Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ® .

In December of 1990 I was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia and endured treatment for three years before I was cured of the disease. During the time that I was battling cancer I was invited to go to this wonderful camp. Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times® gave me lifelong friends, lasting memories, and most of all, it gave me a week out of the year where I could be around kids like me. I no longer felt like an outsider as I met kids who were going through the same thing I was.

I have been attending Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ® since I was eleven years old. It has changed my life in so many positive ways. Throughout my life I lived on-and-off with my aunt. Eventually she became my legal guardian. My older cousin, Jonathan, was 12 when he was diagnosed with Leukemia. Our childhood dynamic changed due to his illness. We stopped having dance parties. We stopped going hiking together. We stopped playing tag. And we stopped having the same fun that we use to have.

I have witnessed first-hand the devastating effects that cancer can have not only on the individuals who are diagnosed but also on the friends and family who care for and nurture their loved ones. It is comforting to know that Camp is still providing a place for kids with cancer to go and just feel like a kid again. I’m proud to support this amazing charity and thankful for the opportunity to give back and help kids receive healing and support at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times.

One day when we were in the hospital he said to me “I can’t even recognize myself in the mirror”. This is something that has always stuck with me. It was devastating to watch cancer turn him into a different person. He was always the most athletic one of us, but suddenly he was so weak and had to use a wheelchair.

Fortunately, he went into remission when he was 17.

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Camp provides a place not only where children my age can relate to the struggles my family endured, but also enjoy a week of fun, love, and laughter. Camp provided one of the most supportive and loving families to me, something that I will always be grateful for. Camp didn’t just give me incredible role models, it also gave me a place to call home. Camp continues to be one of the biggest influences in my life and something for which I will forever be appreciative.

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Celebrating its 35th anniversary, CAMP RONALD MCDONALD FOR GOOD TIMES ® , a program of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California ® , provides a traditional camp experience to children diagnosed with cancer and their families. A medically supervised residential camp just a stone’s throw from Idyllwild, embraced by California’s San Jacinto Mountains, Camp invites children of all ages - from toddler through high school graduation - to participate in a variety of inspired, year-round programs designed to build courage, promote healing, and stimulate personal growth.

At the root of the Camp experience is the philosophy that love, care, attention, and above all else, friendship has the power to transform lives and to generate healthy outcomes. Campers develop through peer-to-peer interaction the critical social and emotional skills crucial to their formative years. At the same time, their families are given the unique opportunity to connect with others facing similar challenges, inspiring a renewed sense of hope. Camp also invites the siblings and parents of younger campers to share in the Camp experience, encouraging strengthened bonds between family members. All of the CAMP RONALD MCDONALD FOR GOOD TIMES programs are offered at absolutely no cost to the campers and their families.

AT C AM P. . .

H E A L I NG H A PPE N S

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JODIE LESH

EDWARD LODGEN,

President Kaiser Permanente

MARTIN BREIDSPRECHER Treasurer A zteca América

STEVEN M. ACOSTA Steven Acosta & Co.

ALITA BERNAL

Esq. Vice President Panda Restaurant Group, Inc.

STUART E. SIEGEL,

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MD Founder , Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times

SANJNA RANJIT BAPHTARY Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

SCOTT R. COHEN,

The Urban Point, LLC

NEILS COTTER

CFP ® , CLU ® Northwestern Mutual

CHARLES KIM,

Carmel Partners

JONATHAN KUAI Korn Ferr y

Esq.

NantWorks, LLC

SEAN W. MULLANEY PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

CHRIS NEHLS

KRISTIN PRICHARD-CALZADA

The Walt Disney Company Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media

VICTOR QUIROZ Owner / Operator, McDonald’s

RAVI K. SHARMA AstraZeneca

Warner Bros.

Entertainment Inc.

JUDITH SATO,

MD

City of Hope

KEN TEASDALE,

CPA

Armanino LLP

TRACIE VARGAS

CECILIA H. FU,

BARBARA BRITT,

DIANE DiMARCO DAVIS,

LIZ ‘SPOT’ KESSLER,

DEBI MANKAME,

THEODORE B. MOORE,

STUART E. SIEGEL,

STEPHEN SPEICHER,

DEBRA WARD,

FRAN WILEY,

MD Chair Keck School of Medicine of USC Children’s Center for Cancer & Blood Diseases Children’s Hospital Los Angeles RN St. Joseph Hospital of Orange RN, MSN, CPON Children’s Hospital of Orange County

MD Founder Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times RN

BRIAN CRATER Associate Executive Director

SHANNON EDWARDS Program Associate

FATIMA DJELMANE Director of Development

NICOLE RING Events Manager

BRAD BAILLIE Operation Manager - Facilities

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RN, MSN Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

RN Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times

MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

MD David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA UCL A Mattel Children’s Hospital MD UCL A Mattel Children’s Hospital RN, MSN UCL A Medical Center

CHAD EDWARDS Program Director

EILEEN McDERMOTT

CAMP STAFF

Operations Manager

JASMIN JOYA Family Relations & Recruitment Coordinator

DAVID GARRY Camp Volunteer Coordinator

MARK PINCUMBE Operation Associate - Facilities

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your family. your community.

your hospitals.

Avanti Hospitals proudly supports Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. Congratulations to all of the Heroes for Healing Candidates. We salute your dedication to the children and families served by Camp.

Memorial Hospital of Gardena l Community Hospital of Huntington Park East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital l Coast Plaza Hospital Avanti Hospitals, LLC

222 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 950, El Segundo, CA 90245 PHONE (310) 356-0550 l www.avantihospitals.com