Jessica Abo wasn't born to follow...
Sep 27, 2012 by Gift of Life
News
Jessica Abo is no stranger to philanthropy. A regional finalist for the White House Fellows Program, Jessica has shown her dedication to helping others by taking part in various events, from running marathons in honor of children who passed away from cancer, to hosting fundraisers for the victims of the 2004 Thailand tsunami. News anchor by day for Your New Jersey News Now on NY1 News, this modern-day superhero devotes an incomprehensible amount of personal time to making a difference in the world.
Jessica was first introduced to Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation at BB King’s in New York City. That evening, the Maccabeats performed and spoke about Ezra Fineman, a child who suffered from a rare immune deficiency disorder and was in need of a bone marrow transplant. Ezra’s parents, Robin and Evan, were in attendance, and the three spoke about Ezra and the need to increase the number of donors in the registry in the hopes of finding his perfect match, as well as matches for other patients in need.
Over the next few months, Jessica learned more about Gift of Life and attended the Annual Gala in May. While there, she witnessed transplant recipients being introduced to their life-saving donors for the first time, and became inspired by Gift of Life’s lifesaving work. At the Gala, Jessica heard more about the need for funding to test new donor kits that are collected from drives run throughout the country each year. With each test kit costing $60, and not every donor being able to contribute money to help offset the cost of their testing, Jessica decided to do something.
This year, she has focused her efforts on Gift of Life and coordinating The Marrow Match Gala, taking place on Sunday, November 18th at the Liberty Theater in New York City. Jessica’s committee includes over 100 members dedicated to making the Gala an unforgettable evening, which will be hosted by “Gossip Girl’s” Kelly Rutherford (who also got swabbed to be in the registry). Jessica’s Marrow Match Gala will be honoring Dylan Rabinovich, Ezra Jordan Fineman, and Jill Hollander for their fighting spirit and strength. A special award will also be given in memory of Ayelet Galena as Jessica was especially touched with Ayelet’s courage and bravery during her transplant last year.
Jessica kicked off the Gala with a launch party on September 20th at the Inc Lounge in the Time Hotel in New York City. Those in attendance had the opportunity to join the registry, as well as participate in a music video that Jessica and Uri Weistrich of Maccabeat fame will release the first week of October. To date, Jessica’s celebrity-packed video features Mayor Bloomberg, Wendy Williams, Nick Cannon, Kris Humphries, Henrik Lundqvist and many others. The video is set to Jon Bon Jovi’s “We Weren’t Born to Follow,” Jessica’s favorite song. In attendance at the launch were Jay Feinberg, Gift of Life’s Founder and Executive Director, as well as, Bill Begal, the Chairman of Gift of Life’s Board of Directors. Two Gift of Life Donors were on hand to answer questions about being a donor. Members of the Galena family came to lend their support. Albert and Mary Liniado, from the Stella Liniado Rainbow Foundation, also attended with their son Justin. The Stella Liniado Rainbow Foundation is a proud sponsor of The Marrow Match Gala.
Jessica says the launch party was a huge success because it brought together cancer survivors, those who lost a loved one to the disease, donors and people who want to make a difference. “We're determined to clear these kits," Jessica said. "I hope our event inspires people all over the world to get involved."
The launch party continues with Comedian Alyse Kenny hosting a comedy night on October 25th at 9pm taking place at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York. Tickets are only $20 and proceeds benefit Gift of Life.
