JDRF 2009 Promise Ball

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to Honor Mary K. Dougherty of Nicole Miller Philadelphia at the 2009 Promise Ball


BALA CYNWYD, PA— The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter announces Mary K. Dougherty as the 2009 Honoree for their annual black-tie gala, the Promise Ball, themed “Wild to Fashion a Cure.” The Promise Ball will be held on May 16, 2009 and an exclusive pre-event Nicole Miller fashion show will be held this spring. Ms. Dougherty will combine her zest for fashion and her commitment to service to help create one of Philadelphia’s most anticipated philanthropic events.

Through her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for fashion, Ms. Dougherty has succeeded as a businesswoman, community leader, educator and parent. Among some of her accolades are Top 50 Women in Business in the state of Pennsylvania as well as being honored early in her career by the Manayunk Development Corporation as “Rookie of the Year”. She has been a guest on shows such as CN8’s Money Matters and 10 NBC’s Moms on the Move, hosted by Linda Swain. Likewise, Mary’s commitment to the community has been truly remarkable. Since 1994 she has been hosting “fun-raisers” for local charities.

The hundreds of thousands of dollars she has raised throughout the years have benefited organizations such as: National Junior Tennis League of Trenton, National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, helpusadopt.org, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Philadelphia Academies Inc., PAWS and Laurel House, among many others.

In addition to her many causes, Ms. Dougherty has been active with the JDRF Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter. In 2007, she partnered with current gala co-chair, Jill Romanelli to host Wild for a Cure, a Nicole Miller shopping event at Jill’s home in New Hope. That night $150,000 was raised for diabetes research and Mary K. Dougherty was introduced to a new charity where she could make a difference. “Ever since Wild for a Cure, I knew JDRF was an organization where I could use my business skills and connections to make an impact on this disease. The statistics are staggering, nearly 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes and as of now there is no cure,” stated Ms. Dougherty. “I will do whatever I need to in order to make this Promise Ball as successful as possible”.

Promise Ball co-chairs, Michelle Dorfman and Jill Romanelli are thrilled to be working with Ms. Dougherty again and are certain this year’s Promise Ball will be the best yet. “Mary is a fantastic businesswoman who takes on all challenges with gusto; more importantly she has a huge heart and we know that this will be a very special Promise Ball with her as honoree,” Dorfman predicted.

The event, Wild to Fashion a Cure, will be held May 16, 2009 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel and hopes to raise over $1.5 million for diabetes research. Last year’s event had over 500 guests and raised $1.4 million. The evening includes dinner and dancing as well as silent, super-silent and live auctions. There will also be a portion of the night dedicated to Fund A Cure, a program unique to JDRF where 100% of the money raised goes to diabetes research. For more information about the 2009 Promise Ball, please call 610.664.9255 x 15 or email Jordan Hecht at jhecht@jdrf.org

ABOUT JDRF:
JDRF is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of type 1 research. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is a disease which strikes children and adults suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump. Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation. Since its founding in 1970 in Philadelphia, by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to
diabetes research, including more than $156 million in FY2008. In FY2008 the Foundation funded more than 1,000 centers, grants and fellowships in 22 countries.

For more information on JDRF please visit their website at www.jdrf.org or contact Jordan Hecht at 610.664.9255 ext. 15 or jhecht@jdrf.org.



Pictured from Left to Right: Promise Ball Honoree, Mary Dougherty, Promise Ball Co-Chair, Jill Romanelli, JDRF Executive Director, Ellen Rubensin, and Promise Ball Co-Chair, Michelle Dorfman at the JDRF Benefit Luncheon and Nicole Miller Fashion Show at Bourbon Blue Restaurant in Manayunk.