Editorial
Front Page - Friday, September 4, 2009
Taste of Hamilton Place to raise funds for local oncology group
David Laprad
Hamilton Place will be hosting a special evening of sampling and music at the first “A Taste of Hamilton Place,” scheduled to take place Sunday, September 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Ticket holders will be able to meet chefs, try out a variety of signature creations from the area’s best restaurants and enjoy musical entertainment as they stroll from station to station.
All proceeds from the family-friendly event will benefit T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Oncology Group, which treats children with the highest levels of care, allowing families to stay closer to home.
“They are doing remarkable work at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital, and we want to raise awareness for their wonderful programs that are right here in Chattanooga along with much needed funding to ensure they can continue to meet the needs of our community,” says Catharine Pangratz, group marketing director for Hamilton Place, in a press release announcing the event.
“It’s going to be a great event,” says Rebecca Littleton, director of annual giving at the T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We’re going to have a lot of entertainment on hand, and a lot of restaurants have already signed up to participate. The community has provided a lot of support, as have our sponsors, Williams Visual Solutions and WCRB.”
The idea for A Taste of Hamilton Place started with Macaroni Grill, which frequently works with T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Oncology Group. “They came to us about doing a third party event, which is someone outside T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Foundation doing something to benefit the hospital,” says Littleton. “It was a great idea, and their enthusiasm was tremendous, so we decided to pitch in, too.”
Many of the restaurants participating in the event will be handing out coupons in addition to allowing ticket holders to sample their cuisine, Littleton says, and each establishment will be offering samples at its own cost; the Foundation is not paying anyone to take part, nor will there be any extra charges for ticket holders at any of the sampling stations.
A Taste of Hamilton Place aims to strike a blow to acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood cancer. In 1962, the cure rate was 4 percent; today, it’s 94 percent, thanks to decades of research.
In recent years, T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital has played a major role in boosting the cure rate for acute lymphololastic leukemia. It began when oncologists at Children’s Hospital diagnosed identical twins Morgan and Logan McBryar with the disease in the fall of 2006. Realizing the rarity of this occurrence, the doctors immediately contacted the top research laboratories around the world. The twins’ bone marrow samples were then frozen in liquid nitrogen, since leukemia cells all but disappear once treatment begins.
After nearly three years of analysis, researchers are beginning to unravel the mystery surrounding childhood leukemia. By comparing the DNA of the twins and that of other leukemia patients, researchers have deepened their understanding of the biology of leukemia, allowing them to continue to develop innovative treatments.
This is good news to the nearly 50 children diagnosed with cancer each year in Chattanooga.
The Cancer Center at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital opened its doors in 1986. As members of the Children’s Oncology Group, oncologists at Children’s Hospital cooperate with some of the best research labs and hospitals in the world. This means a child with cancer in Chattanooga receives the same treatment as a child at any other COG hospital, including Duke, St. Jude or the Cleveland Clinic.
But for patients and their families, the pediatric oncology clinic is more than a place to receive treatment; it’s also a home away from home.
Over the years, gifts to the T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Foundation have funded projects and services that have helped patients and families cope during a stressful time, including support groups and holiday parties, as well as the hiring of a child life specialist and a dedicated oncology social worker.
Littleton sees A Taste of Hamilton Place as an opportunity for everyone to make a difference in the lives of local children diagnosed with cancer.
“I have two healthy, happy kids,” she says. “And I’m glad they’re as happy and healthy as they are, but sadly, not everyone can say that. So the event is my opportunity to help less fortunate kids and their families. Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor or a nurse, but that doesn’t mean we don’t all have the ability to do something.”
Advance tickets are $35 for adults and $10 for children ages 5 to 12, and can be purchased online at www.tasteofhamiltonplace.com or by calling the T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital Foundation at 423-778-6600.
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