Longwood Symphony Orchestra and the Kokugikan Sumida Choral Society of Japan

In an effort to raise greater awareness of the deadly form of skin cancer melanoma and in a tribute to families touched by melanoma, the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation and the Melanoma Education Foundation will hold a Fundraising Gala on Friday, October 26, 2007 at Boston’s Symphony Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Melanoma is the number one cancer diagnosed in young white females in the U.S. and the fourth most common cancer among teens. Early detection is the only way to prevent it from becoming deadly. The New England area has the highest concentration of melanoma cases, partially due to weather patterns of intermittent, intense sunlight which increases residents’ risk.

Proceeds from this event will support the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation’s comprehensive Sun Safety and Melanoma Awareness programs and the Melanoma Education Foundation’s Wellness and Self Detection programs for children and teens.

Educational Health Fair and Benefit Concert
The evening’s festivities begin with an Educational Health Fair in the Hatch Room at Symphony Hall from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., complete with presentations, exhibits and free product samples.

At 8:00 p.m., the Longwood Symphony Orchestra (LSO), will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The LSO is comprised of 125 musicians who are also members of Boston’s medical community dedicated to healing the community through music.

Those involved with the LSO include Lisa Wong, M.D., who is the President of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Womens Hospital, BIDMC, and Childrens Hospital and Senior Partner at Milton Pediatrics; Nicholas Tawa, M.D., who is Board Chair of the LSO and Senior Surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who resides in Medfield.

Honorees at the gala will include Harley Haynes, M.D., a Bedford resident and Vice Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Brigham & Women's Hospital who has trained many local dermatologists and Michael Atkins, M.D., Oncologist and Director of Biologic Therapies at Beth Israel Deaconess.

The LSO will be joined by 100 members from Chorus Boston, the Kokugikan Sumida Choral Society of Japan and New World Chorale and soloists Yuna Matsubara (Soprano), Jan Wilson (Alto/Mezzo), Ray Bauwens (Tenor) and Robert Honeysucker (Bass) all of whom will be led by Conductor Shunji Aratani.

Premium reserved seat tickets are $40 each. VIP tickets are $100 each and include reserved seats in the first 10 center rows of the orchestra section and a post-concert reception and dessert buffet.

Scholarship tickets for students are still available. Tickets are non-refundable except in the event of a concert cancellation.

“The fundraising gala will help support our melanoma education programs. We can reduce melanoma incidence by teaching skin cancer prevention and early detection. Anyone can develop skin cancer. Yet, it is easily recognizable and preventable. By educating young people and their caretakers (parents, nurses and teachers), we can save lives,” explained Maryellen Maguire-Eisen, RN, MSN, Executive Director of the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation.

The event is sponsored by Roche Bros; Sullivan Tire; Sullivan Toyota; Graceway Pharmaceuticals; Neutrogena Corporation; Dermatology Nurses Association; Dusa Pharmaceuticals; Boston University Section of Dermatopathology; Canella Laser; Medical Laser Technologies and Coolibar Sun Protection.

Tickets are available online at www.skincheck.org or by calling 1-800-259-1633.

The Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation, located in Hingham, Mass., delivers a comprehensive sun safety and melanoma awareness program, free of charge, to school children in Massachusetts. The foundation’s “Learn Not 2 Burn” is delivered primarily to children in elementary schools and teaches both skin cancer prevention and early detection. Patrick and Barbara Roche of Marshfield MA, the founders of Roche Supermarkets, gave the original grant to start Children's Melanoma Prevention Foundation. For more information, contact 781-875-1SPF (1773) or visit www.melanomaprevention.org.

The Melanoma Education Foundation of Peabody trains high school and middle school wellness educators about early self-detection of skin cancer and provides them with free materials to teach the subject to student in a single-class session. The SkinCheck® class is currently utilized in more than 500 schools throughout New England. For more information, contact 978-535-3080 or visit www.skincheck.org.