2013 Leukemia Ball Entertainment Announcement

2013 Leukemia Ball Entertainment Announcement Saturday Night Blues: 2013 Leukemia Ball to Feature Performances by Dana Carvey and Jim Belushi & the Sacred Hearts Leukemia Ball Celebrates 26 Years on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center November 26, 2013 (Alexandria, VA) - On Saturday, March 23rd, more than 2,000 area business leaders expect to gather at the 26th annual Leukemia Ball to raise money for innovative, life-saving cancer research and patient programs funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Dana Carvey and Jim Belushi & the Sacred Hearts band, bring their talents back to D.C. for the 2013 event - dubbed Saturday Night Blues. Both of these Saturday Night Live alumni performed at the Leukemia Ball in the past, although this is the first time they will be at the event together. Known for his impressions of George H.W. Bush, and SNL characters Garth and the Church Lady, Carvey headlined the event in 1999 and will entertain guests with his unique stand-up routine in 2013. For the past seven years, Belushi and the Sacred Hearts have performed their signature blues and soul sound and will undoubtedly have the crowd on their feet. As Washington, D.C.'s largest one-night non-political black-tie gala, the Ball is expected to raise more than $3.1 million on behalf of LLS's National Capital Area Chapter. "Each year a dedicated group of volunteers comes together to produce one of the best nights in Washington, D.C., helping to raise over $3 million for research and programs that will change the lives of the more than one million Americans living with a form of blood cancer," said Gabrielle Urquhart, National Capital Area Chapter Executive Director. "We are closer to a cure than ever before, and we simply cannot thank our volunteers and donors enough for their support in this on-going battle." This year, the Leukemia Ball co-chairs are James H. Davis, Ph.D., former Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Human Genome Sciences, and Candace Duncan, Managing Partner of KPMG's Washington Metro Area. The two lead a stellar Executive Committee consisting of more than 60 of the area's business leaders who volunteer to plan the Ball and help raise millions of dollars in support of LLS's mission. "As a blood cancer survivor who benefitted from LLS-funded research, and as a member of LLS's National Scientific Advisory Committee, I know first-hand the importance of the work LLS makes possible," said Davis. "We are at a crucial stage in the fight against cancer, and every dollar raised for the LLS mission brings us one step closer to the cure." Seventy-six cents of every dollar spent by LLS funds its mission - to find a cure for blood cancer and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS's commitment to funding cutting-edge research projects contributes to an unprecedented rise in survival rates over recent years. For instance, the most common form of childhood leukemia now has a survival rate of more than 90-percent, up from 3-percent in 1964. "Tremendous progress has been made over the past decade with the development of many life-saving cancer drugs, however there is still much work to be done," said Duncan. "Every four minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer, and every 10 minutes someone loses their fight. Until every person wins their battle, we will continue to raise money and awareness for LLS and its patients." Recognized as one of Washington's most popular black-tie galas, the 2012 Leukemia Ball silent auction raised $300,000 and featured a variety of travel packages, including American Airlines air travel to exotic locations. The event also boasts a Mercedes-Benz raffle, featuring two brand-new vehicles donated by local Mercedes-Benz dealers. Tickets are $100 each and only 5,000 are printed. The event's featured entertainment contributes to its unwavering popularity with past headliners such as Diana Ross, Jay Leno, Bill Cosby, Dennis Miller, John Mellencamp, Liza Minnelli, Jerry Seinfeld, Reba McIntyre, and Lionel Richie. A wide variety of sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2013 Leukemia Ball. For more information, please visit here: http://www.leukemiaball.org.