Benefit Concert Featuring The 88

Hey, everyone!

The Matt Cwiertny Memorial Foundation is active and ready to hold its first official fundraising event! It's a benefit concert, featuring our good friends, The 88. Proceeds from the concert and silent auction will help the MCMF raise funds to fight the Epstein-Barr Virus and EBV-associated diseases. Join us on Saturday May 7th, 2011. Doors open at 5pm. It's ALL AGES. It's only $20. AND it's gonna be GREAT!


If you would like to help us out by donating a silent auction item, please let us know! That would be amazing. Thank you!


BUY YOUR $20 TICKETS AT: http://is.gd/PDUgHO

From The 88's Event page:
All proceeds from the event will aid the Matt Cwiertny Memorial Foundation in their efforts to support research for a cure of EBV and EBV - associated diseases.


Time: Saturday, May 7 · 5:00pm - 9:00pm

Location: The Echo · 1822 W Sunset Blvd · Los Angeles, CA

5pm doors open

6pm Taylor Locke & The Roughs

7pm The 88

Matt was a fan of The 88 and a dear friend to the band. He passed away at 24, and we are doing everything we can to honor his memory and help raise awareness about EBV. Come out and enjoy an evening of music, and help us raise money for the Foundation in his name.

Matt Cwiertny was a wonderful and vital 24-year-old young man who fought to overcome an immune system disorder that made him vulnerable to the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Because there is not a vaccine for EBV, EBV overwhelmed Matt’s immune system on many occasions, leading him to develop EBV-Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). HLH, also known as hemophagocytic syndrome, is a disorder of unregulated activation of lymphohistiocytic cells that results in hemophagocytosis, hypercytokinemia, and multi-organ (e.g., spleen, liver, lung, brain, or other vital organs) dysfunction, which without early treatment results in death. After a number of very severe battles with EBV-associated HLH, Matt developed non-Hodgkin’s NK T-cell lymphoma (cancer). In an attempt to cure his EBV–associated cancer, he underwent numerous rounds of chemotherapy and ultimately a Bone Marrow Transplant at The City of Hope in Duarte, CA, in late 2008. Sadly, in mid-2009, the disease returned and Matt became seriously ill with NK-T-cell brain lymphoma, which necessitated several rounds of brain radiation. While fighting a very severe episode of EBV-HLH, and just after completing a dozen sessions of brain radiation therapy that significantly weakened his immune system, Matt succumbed to his extremely rare EBV-associated diseases and passed away on October 3, 2009. 

The mission of the Matt Cwiertny Memorial Foundation is the cure of EBV and EBV-associated diseases. The charitable and primary purpose of the Foundation is to raise funds to accomplish medical research needed to cure EBV and EBV - associated diseases, with emphasis upon cures for EBV-HLH and NK T-cell lymphoma. A secondary goal of the Foundation is raising public awareness of all EBV-associated diseases and the need to find cures for these rare and terrible diseases.

*****
UPDATE: Fixed the link for the MCMF website.

"Shaving My Head To Kick Blood Cancer's Butt!"

Hey Everyone,

An Australian friend of mine, Jaimes Thorpe, is trying to raise $5,000 for Leukemia research. She's participating in the World's Greatest Shave in Australia and is raising funds on Crowdrise for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) here in the US. Once she reaches her goal of $5K, she'll shave her head, so definitely check out the project, "Shaving My Head To Kick Blood Cancer's Butt!" 

I'm helping her out and have my own page, so you'll see I'm a team member when you click the link. Please help her reach her goal if you can, as it such an amazing cause! Thank you.

Michele
P.S. She mentions our "Raising $60K" project, which ended in December, but she's still raising funds for LLS -- so please help. Thanks!

Here's the link again: I Want to Kick Blood Cancer's Butt

Jaimes Thorpe wrote -

OMG ARE YOU *&^% SERIOUS??? That is the usual response when I tell people what I am planning - the answer is YES, I am quite serious ... please read on!

I have had long hair all my life (except for a brief period when I was convalescing after getting thrown from a horse ... long story, tell you another time) and I have always considered my hair to be my best feature. I love having long hair - I love playing with it, twirling with it, dying it, putting it up ... all of those girlie things that girls normally love. That one time I *did* have my hair short, I hated it, even though lots of people told me it really suited me.

... but you know what? It's only hair. It will grow back (I hope!) and if the thought of watching me "sacrifice" such a big part of what makes me, me can motivate people to donate then I'll call that a win :)

The World's Greatest Shave is an Australian fundraising event held every year in March. My official fundraising page can be found at http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/jenjam

I am aiming to raise $5000 - if I raise less, my hair will only be coloured. This gives people incencitve to donate (I hope) and helps me raise the most money possible in the 4-odd months that I have to fundraise :)

I have been given permission to link this project to the campaign to raise $60000 in memory of Matt Cwiertny. Matt's family and friends are working to raise $60,000 in Matt's name in association with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walks and with the support of Crowdrise. If we raise $60,000, we will be able to direct the funds to an LLS researcher who is working to find cures for Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) induced lymphomas. While researchers know there is a connection between EBV and lymphoma, they are not sure how EBV causes lymphoma and have not found a way to effectively treat EBV or NK T-cell lymphoma, which Matt suffered from.

Over the coming months I will be uploading a LOT of photos (and maybe a video or two) of my hair from different periods in my life, and I plan to video the actual shaving event in March - trust me, there will be tear ... and alcohol. There will *definitely* be alcohol :|

If you think it's amusing to watch a grown woman crying while having her head shaven OR if you just want to help me KICK BLOOD CANCER'S BUTT please donate what you can afford, join the team, and support me in any way you can ♥

Just Blue. Off the River Thames. London.

Victoria Embankment. Charing Cross Bridges.

Southbank Centre.

Dalí Elephant.

Lampost detail.

*photography by michele cwiertny (october 2009)

Join Us on July 14 @ Ruby's on the Huntington Beach Pier. Benefits LLS!

Hey, everyone!

Here's another chance to have some fun, food and help us raise some money for a great cause. ALL DAY on July 14th at Ruby's on the Huntington Beach pier, 20% of all food and non-alcoholic beverages will go to our efforts to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of MATT CWIERTNY. So come on out and join us! :)

But please remember: you need to take this flyer; it is the only way we will get credit for this event. Thank you!!

Nature. In Macro.

Queen Palm.

Daylily.

*photography by michele cwiertny

Two Magical Little Ladies and a House Covered in Amazingness.

Hello, everyone!


Today, I'm posting a few photos from my October 2009 trip to Bath, England. As this was our third trip over there, my husband and I spent a little over a week exploring the UK, taking as much time as we wished in our chosen cities and just shooting photos--oh, and eating way too much. And don't worry... I'm not going to post all 4000 pictures. I promise.

Victoria Park Botanical Gardens. These two ladies make me smile. They rounded the bend behind me, chatting away and clutching their point and shoot cameras in hand. I just stepped aside and waited for them to move on ahead of me. Something magical about them.

Also in the Botanical Gardens. And the two ladies in the picture above were taking photos of it as well. Just adored them. :)

Royal Victoria Park. An 11-year-old Princess Victoria opened this park in 1830 (the Botanical Gardens is enclosed within the Royal Victoria Park). Lots and lots of young children and waterfowl roamed the park, although none are visible here... interesting. Also here, we found a skate park, as well as bowling, tennis, and putting greens. But it appears we missed quite a bit! Click here for more info: Royal Victoria Park, Bath

A friend of mine saw this next photo, and said, "Oh my gosh, I really want my house covered in amazingness when i grow up." Yeah. Me, too.

On the River Avon in Bath.

Our first trip to Bath had taken place about 18 months earlier when we were on a tour and had spent just over an hour there. Back then, we only had enough time to tour the Roman Baths. So, we feel fortunate to have been able to return so we could explore more of the historic and absolutely gorgeous city.

Thanks for stopping by!

Take Care,

Michele


*photography by michele cwiertny

Rubio's Fundraiser Benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Hello, All! 

 

Please join us this Wednesday night--June 16th! Stop in for a Taste of Baja at Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill and raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2010 Light the Night Walk in Memory of Matt Cwiertny.

Whether you eat at Rubio's, take food to go, or pick up a Rubio's a-Go-Go catering order (24 hours advance notice), just present the attached flyer to the cashier and Rubio's will donate 20% of your transaction to our cause!

Please remember to turn in the flyer; it is the only way we will get credit for the event!

Date:	Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Time:	5:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:	16622 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Don't forget to bring the attached flyer! Thank you so much and see you there!!