As a balloon artist who has designed pieces for (and performed at) a wide variety of events, from fashion shows to kids’ birthday parties, creating pieces to fit with an exciting, new theme never seems to get old for me! So, naturally when I was invited to attend the Mad Hatter Tea Party put on by Cure 4 The Kids, my imagination ran wild. The fundraiser was appealing to me for two reasons: first, I’ve always been a big fan of Alice in Wonderland, and second, it’s always great to support important charities that perform such a crucial role in our society.

Cure 4 The Kids Foundation

Founded in 2007 with the sole purpose of advancing the prevention and treatment of catastrophic illnesses in kids, Cure 4 Kids has become one of the leading charities that focus on the specialized health care needs of kids in Nevada. The foundation works to improve research into prevention methods, cures and treatment for kids with complex medical issues and provides access to quality medical care for the un-insured and under-insured families who are not able to afford adequate treatment.
The current economic status of the region (and the growing unemployment rate) has resulted in many families not having the opportunity to access the medical services that their children require to lead healthy, happy lives. Many children in the area rely solely on Cure 4 The Kids for their health care needs – this is why supporting the foundation and the indispensable work that they do is so important.

A Great Event For A Great Cause

Cure 4 The Kids has hosted numerous fundraising events, but this year was their first ever tea party! The event was put on to raise funds for the Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic for Childhood Cancer Survivors. This is the only clinic in Nevada that provides patients with the opportunity to have their medical history summarized in a binder that allows future doctors of health care specialists to quickly determine what a patient has been through and what the best course of treatment may be in the future.

Hosted at Palm Lounge inside the Four Seasons Las Vegas, the Mad Hatter themed tea party was as fun for the kids as it was for the adults who were taken back to their childhood memories of the unforgettable classic, Alice In Wonderland. To add to the fun, both Alice and the Mad Hatter joined the party, and even a Cheshire Cat in full body paint (provided by Sin City Inc.) made an appearance!

One of the highlights of the event was the auction of tea cups designed and painted by some of the children at the clinic – the tea cups were truly works of art!

There’s Always Time For Tea!

The tea party raised over $24,000; needless to say, it was a huge success! It was wonderful to attend such a magical event and to contribute to the setting up of the Long-Term Follow-Up Clinic for Childhood Cancer Survivors.

In the words of the Mad Hatter, “there’s always time for tea” – Cure 4 The Kids showed everyone who attended the event that there’s also always time to make a positive change in the world, no matter how small a contribution is, it always counts!