November, 2008-Stephen Gilarde going for a World Record to Benefit the Elixir Fund. Stephen Gilarde, friend of Elixir and son of our Treasurer, Nancy Murphy Gilarde, is hoping to break the World Record of wearing the most t-shirts at once. He is also doing this as a benefit for the Elixir Fund. No official date has been set, but it will be in the next few weeks at his school in Hopkinton, MA. Currently, Stephen is collecting shirts sizes small to 8XL. If you would like to contribute, please feel free to send us an email at contact@elixirfund.org, and we will give you all of the details. Be sure to keep checking back with us to find out how Stephen did.

October 26, 2008- Elixir Fund’s 2nd Annual East Coast Event. Once again, the East Coast Cocktail Party and Silent Auction was a wondeful success. For detailsa about the event Click Here.

October 4, 2008 - Team Spirit Breast & Ovarian Cancer Walk - The Elixir Fund participated in the 9th Annual Team Spirit Walk in Long Beach, CA by setting up an information table. Proceeds from the walk benefit the Long Beach Memorial Foundation.

Meg McQuarrie with Shari Burt of Rational Therapeutics at the Team Spirit Walk.

August 22, 2008- Annual Fundraiser at Dr. Pear's Chiropractic Office
Once again, Dr. Debra Pear opened her office at Chiropractic West to the Elixir Fund and donated proceeds from the day's appointments. In addition, chair massages were available to both patients and those who dropped by to say hello. We also had some fantastic prizes donated by Nickelodeon, HBO, Dreamworks, Chiropractic West, and Lisa Foux that were raffled off. For more information and for photos click here.

August 1, 2008 - Elixir Fund's 5th Annual Live and Silent Auction.
Once again we had another successful event with our Annual Live and Silent Auction. The auction items were numerous, the bidding was furious, and the guests had a wonderful time. For more details, and a complete list of our donors, Click here.

A very special thanks to our photographer, Debbie Lefever. To see her complete album, click here, look under Private Events - Elixir Fund and the password is Elixir.

Additional Events

• Dodgeball Tournament
• Mini-Makeover Day
• Elixir's Fifth Anniversary
• Holiday Music
• Elixir Fund and Capessa

June 29th- Simi Valley Charity Dodgeball Tournament to benfit the Elixir Fund. The first Annual Simi Valley Dodgebal Tournament to benefit the Elixir Fund was a huge success. Read More

July 14th - Mini-MakeOver Day

On July 14th Alex Franco and Deisrae Fennessy of Cerritos Community College's Cosmetology Department, along with Sarah Nicola of Merle Norman Cosmetics in Seal Beach treated patients and caregivers to manicures and makeovers.

As always, the patients were surprised and thrilled to pampered. One patient remarked "Aren't my friends going to be jealous that I got a manicure for free!" Another remarked that she could not wait to show her children when they came to visit later in the afternoon. Two patients were waiting to be discharged that day and were so excited to have their makeup done before they left.

Our thanks to our incredible volunteers, and the patients and caregivers.

Doreen Liuzzi receives the star treatment from Heather Coopersmith of For Reel Make-up at our July 16th Mini-Makoever.

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March - Elixir Fund's Fifth Anniversary

Believe it or not, the Elixir Fund is marking its fifth year, and it has already been a busy one.

• Valerie Geller, a violinist with the Long Beach Symphony, provided music to the patients at the hospital just before the holidays.
• We are donating artwork to the Radiation / Oncology Department at Long Beach Memorial and redecorating the women’s changing room with a painted mural and vanity table.
• On the East Coast, we are continuing our work with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey by recruiting volunteer massage therapists for a few of their events.

We could not do any of this without you.   You cannot imagine the impact that a small act of kindness from a stranger has on the patients and caregivers that we work with.  The look of joy and appreciation after someone has received a massage or makeover, or after hearing music outside of his or her room is indescribable.  We are able to reach individuals in a very personal and meaningful way.  Please know that you are part of this, and not just through your financial support.  You are all part of the spirit of Elixir, and that is what the patients and caregivers are so touched by.

We invite you to celebrate our anniversary with us by sharing in the Elixir spirit.  Whether it be planting flowers in your garden, donating blood or platelets, or spending special time with your family.  We always love hearing your stories of how you celebrated and we welcome them again this year.  We also invite you to celebrate with us in person at one of this year’s fundraisers. 

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December 13, 2007 - Holiday Music
We were so excited to be able to sponsor Valerie Geller, a musician from the Long Beach Symphony, for a performance at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Valerie went up to the 6th floor to peform for the patients and to the AIC (the outpatiennt treatment facility). The patients and the staff were so appreciative. Some came out of their rooms to stand in the hallway and listen. Our sincere thanks to Valerie.

*The nurse manager from the 6th floor told us as recently as February that people are still talking about Valerie.

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Elixir Fund and Capessa - Executive Director, Meg McQuarrie, was asked to participate in a website that was being built to showcase the stories of women and how they have changed their lives. We were honored to be asked to share the story of Elixir and are pleased to announce that the website, www.capessa.com is now live. To view Meg's page, please follow this link to "Laughter is the Best Medicine." Our thanks to Capessa for including our story.

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