LBI Summer Soiree Wrap-Up

3rd Annual LBI Summer Soiree

We would like to thank everybody for their support and attendance at the 3rd Annual LBI Summer Soiree to benefit David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation. We were excited to celebrate our long standing friendship and partnership with the team from Jetty as we recognized them with our 2021 Beacon of Hope Award. The DDBCF Beacon of Hope Award was created in 2017 to recognize an outstanding individual or organization instrumental in filling hearts with hope and shining a light in the darkness of cancer. 

“11 years ago we ran our first event together, the Coquina Jam. We raised around $7500. Last year we raised $88,000. This year, we raised $100,000. Both the Jetty Rock Foundation and DDBCF aren’t going to stop running events, and we’re not going to stop growing, it’s truly a special partnership – but, the other partner that we both have is the community. It’s all of you guys that donate, and show up to fuel our passion so that we can all help people together.” Jeremy DeFilippis, CEO Jetty/Treasurer & Director JRF

A special thank you to Tom, Jaimee, Brittany and the entire staff at the Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club for another beautiful evening. 

Photo: Michael John Murphy

Barlow Buick GMC in Manahawkin | Cruisin for a Cure

Barlow Buick GMC in Manahawkin

 

We want to thank the Barlow Family and Staff at Barlow Buick GMC in Manahawkin for stepping up this year as the First-Ever Presenting Sponsor for the 4th Annual Frank V. Panzone Jr. Memorial Cruisin for a Cure on Sunday May 1st! We appreciate their commitment to support the families of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation battling a cancer diagnosis.

We cannot stress this enough but please support the businesses like Barlow Buick GMC in Manahawkin that make it a priority throughout the year to support our families affected by a cancer diagnosis.

Thank you to the Barlow Family and Staff at Barlow Buick GMC in Manahawkin!

Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club | Sponsor Spotlight | David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation

Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club
Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club

We want to continue highlighting our business sponsors that have donated in excess of $10,000.00 in 2015 and have made a long-term commitment to support David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation! 

Our friends at the Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club stepped up their donations to DDBCF through various forms of giving in 2015. It came in the form of event sponsorships, memorial donations and this year’s 19th Annual Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club Striped Bass Derby. The icing on the cake for the families of DDBCF was Mike and Jaimee Boyle’s Holiday Party. They asked their friends to attend the party but requested no gifts and only donations for a particular husband and daughter family of DDBCF that are currently living in a motel after the wife/mother passed away from cancer earlier this year. It’s the “Generosity of Spirit” displayed by the entire Hughes Family and their amazing staff throughout the year that affords DDBCF the opportunity to assist those families like the one above affected by a cancer diagnosis!

We have held our Island Gala at the Sea Shell Resort & Beach for the past 3 years. The partnership between the two organizations grows stronger every day. A special thank you to Tom, Jaimee and Brittany for working so dilligently to ensure our Island Gala is a complete success each and every year. It’s a testament to the Hughes family and their staff when our guests inform us they felt like they were attending a family party. That’s exactly how all of us feel and we really hope you support the sponsors like the Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club that make giving to the families of DDBCF a priority for not only their business but also in their personal lives!

Thank you!

Hero of Hope Award | David Caldarella | David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation | Academy of Oncology Nurses & Patient Navigators |

Hero of Hope Nominee David Caldarella
Hero of Hope Nominee
David Caldarella

A Note From David Caldarella, Co-Founder & Executive Director:
I was humbled and honored to hear that I was selected as 1 of 4 finalists for the 2015 Hero of Hope Award by the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators. This nomination is very special because it emanates from Oncology Nurses and Patient Navigators who recognized the critical work and mission of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation. In particular, Elizabeth Martinez from Southern Ocean Medical Center who nominated me and who should be nominated herself! It’s very difficult to hear life and death struggles everyday but it’s a special person that rises above to help. Oncology nurses and patient navigators do that on a daily basis so to be recognized by that same group of amazing individuals is truly overwhelming! The recognition of being nominated is a confirmation for our Board of Directors, Sponsors, Individual Donors and Volunteers that we are making a difference in the lives of our families battling a cancer diagnosis.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Long Beach Island Resident One of Four
Nominees for National Survivorship Award

LONG BEACH ISLAND – A Long Beach Island man has been named one of four nominees nationwide for the Hero of Hope Patient Award given by the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+).

David Caldarella was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in April 2010. He learned his cancer was extremely aggressive and had already metastasized from his tonsils to the lymph nodes on the right side of his neck and down his throat.

“The news was upsetting on a number of levels,” says Caldarella. “I was in the best shape of my life and had never smoked. Beyond the physical, it hit me emotionally, socially, and financially. It literally changed my life.”

The next month he underwent a tonsillectomy and biopsy, a right neck dissection and transoral robotic surgery to remove the remaining tonsil and tumor. Chemo and radiation quickly followed.

“What got me through this was my family, friends, faith, the kindness of strangers, and the desire to create a legacy that would benefit others and make my nephew and nieces proud.”

That legacy took shape as David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing financial assistance to people who are battling cancer and can’t afford day-to-day necessities.

“I thought about the foundation constantly,” he says. “It would be 2 or 3 in the morning, and I would be trying to figure out how we would fund it, who we would help, and what it is we would do.”

In November 2010, Caldarella received the “all clear” from his surgeon and spent the next two years growing his foundation, which required overseeing four annual fundraising events.

“By 2013, we reached a breaking point,” he explains. “We surpassed our initial goal to help one or two families a year almost immediately. By the time I went full-time and became a salaried employee of the foundation in 2014, we were helping more than 100 people from across New Jersey annually.”

To date, David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation has helped 400 families and has given more than $400,000 in assistance.

As one of the nominees for the Hero of Hope Patient Award, Caldarella’s story will be featured in the August issue of CONQUER: The Patient Voice Magazine.

Voting to select the winner is now open. The winner of the Hero of Hope Patient Award will be announced in early October at AONN’s sixth annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference in Atlanta. The winner will receive a plaque recognizing his/her contributions to the cancer community as well as a donation of $1,000 made to the charity of his/her choice.

 

About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators 
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+) is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 5,000 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process. For more information visit www.aonnonline.org.About CONQUER: The Patient Voice Magazine:
CONQUER is the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators’ (AONN+) premier forum for patients with cancer. CONQUER features articles written by and for patients with cancer, survivors, nurse navigators, and other oncology team members. This magazine addresses the issues that patients, their family members, and caregivers face every day in an easy-to-read format. Issues include interviews with patients with cancer, information on access to care, and articles on lifestyle topics such as nutrition, stress management, personal finance, and legal and employer issues. CONQUER also features patient stories that are nominated for the AONN+ HERO OF HOPETM award, which will be presented at the AONN+ Annual Conference. All stories are compiled in a special issue of CONQUER at the end of the year. For more information visit  www.conquer-magazine.com.

About David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation

David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds to provide financial assistance and services to families primarily in New Jersey affected by a cancer diagnosis.  David Caldarella, Co-Founder and Stage IV cancer survivor, established David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation in 2010.  His journey of living through Stage IV cancer inspired him to dedicate his life to helping other individuals, affected by a cancer diagnosis.  David spends most of his time being with these families and has been an amazing support person in all their lives.  To date, the Foundation has assisted 325 patients in 4 years, and donated over $300,000 to families afflicted by cancer.  Donations are used towards a multitude of services for the family battling a cancer diagnosis including financial assistance for medications, treatments, transportation, rent, mortgage and utility bills.

For further information, please visit www.davidsdreamandbelieve.org.

 

Island Gala | A Night On The Boardwalk | David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation | Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club | Live Music with Monte Carlo

Island Gala

We could not be more excited to finally unveil the details for the can’t miss event of summer! The 2015 Island Gala to benefit David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation will take place on Friday August 14th. Our friends at the Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club will again be our amazing host for the evening with generous support from our friends at Reynolds Landscaping.  We made a couple of changes to our Island Gala for this summer’s Blockbuster event including:  exchanging casino action for “A Night On The Boardwalk” theme and have added VIP Tickets, a Mega 50/50 Raffle (winner need not be present) and Live Music from Philadelphia’s premier nine-piece band Monte Carlo!

The event will take place on Friday August 14th from 7 pm until midnight at the Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club in Beach Haven, NJ. Tickets are $175.00 per person and $250.00 for VIP tickets. VIP tickets include priority check-in & reserved seating. Guests are encouraged to dress to impress (cocktail attire) for a night on the boards!

The night will include: 3 Hour Top Shelf Open Bar, Food, Live Music with Philadelphia’s premier nine-piece band Monte Carlo, Auction and a couple of Surprises! 

We added a Mega 50/50 Raffle to this event this year with first prize receiving up to $15,000.00 and second prize receiving up to $10,000. You can fill out the form below and we will mail you your ticket stub or visit our website to purchase your ticket – the Winner need not be present. Please be aware that applicable State and Federal tax laws do apply.

This event at the Sea Shell Resort & Beach Club will sell out quickly so don’t delay! We do have a limited number of sponsorship opportunities available. Please contact David Caldarella david@davidsdreamandbelieve.org to reserve your tickets or sponsorship or you can buy online by clicking on link below PURCHASE ONLINE!

PURCHASE ONLINE

Download Forms

Island Gala Flyer

Mega 50/50 Flyer

Sponsorship Contract

Auction Agreement

Informed Mortgage | March 2015 | Planned Giving | David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation

We were informed at the beginning of 2015 about a very exciting new partnership with our friends at Informed Mortgage. Our hometown mortgage specialists committed to donate $25.00 to David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation for every loan closed by their Manahawkin office!

The totals are in for March: David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation will be receiving $1,825.00 from the team at Informed Mortgage. We must thank the amazing staff at Informed Mortgage for their personal investment in the mission of the Foundation and dedication to bring HOPE to our patients affected by a cancer diagnosis!

Please contact our friends at Informed Mortgage for all your Mortgage/Refi needs by calling them today at: (609) 597-0007.

Generation Dream | Pancake Breakfast | TGI Fridays

Generation Dream Pancake Breakfast
Generation Dream Pancake Breakfast

We had an amazing inaugural campaign with our youth service group Generation Dream. Our Dream Team raised a whopping $7, 689.32 for local families affected by a cancer diagnosis. They put the finishing touches on an incredible 2014 by hosting a Holiday Party for the oncology patients at our local Hospital Southern Ocean Medical Center.

They’re excited to kick-off our 2015 event calendar with the Generation Dream Pancake Breakfast on Sunday March 15th from 8:30 – 10:30 at TGI Fridays in Manahawkin. Generation Dream will be assisting the Fridays’ Staff throughout the morning with various jobs including: Hostess, Food Prep and Servers. Admission is $10.00 and includes pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee and soft drinks. 60% of the proceeds go directly to: David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation!

Our friends at TGI Fridays in Manahawkin, NJ have been proud supporters of the Foundation since 2011.  We are forever grateful for our business partnerships in the community and TGI Fridays in Manahawkin remains a driving force behind the scenes for DDBCF. Please come out and enjoy breakfast with the Dreamers as they raise funds for local families affected by cancer!

Generation Dream

We were excited to hear that a small group from our youth group Generation Dream were busy last night hand-painting sea shells so they could accept donations today on behalf of David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation. Cuade, Collin and Cuinnie shown in the picture below were busy outside of Peal Street Market in Beach Haven, NJ today raising awareness and donations to help our families battling a cancer diagnosis. Please keep an eye and ear out for our Generation Dream group which was created by one of our newest directors Kimberly Manzella! These kids are dedicated to Making A Difference in our community and world!

Generation Dream (Cuade, Collin & Cuinnie)
Generation Dream (Cuade, Collin & Cuinnie)

Summer Concert & Ice Cream for a Cause presented by Black-eyed Susans

Please visit our friends in the Black-eyed Susans Ice Cream Truck at tomorrow night’s summer concert with “Verdict” in Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars at 7pm and Monday night’s summer concert with “No Discipline” on 9th & 10th Street on the Bay at 7pm.

50% of the proceeds will be donated directly to local 19 month old Elena Michelle! Thank you Ashley & Chris!!!

Black-eyed Susans Summer Concert & Ice Cream for a Cause
Black-eyed Susans
Summer Concert & Ice Cream for a Cause

 

6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam Wrap-Up

It’s obvious that Mother Nature and David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation (DD&BCF) need to have a sit-down to iron out our differences. However the rain, wind, flooding and rough ocean didn’t stop the positive vibes emanating from the 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam yesterday! We had an amazing turnout and cannot thank everybody enough for their support!

A few special thanks need to be handed out and it has to start with Chief Executive Officer from Jetty Jeremy DeFilippis. Jeremy has been linked to DD&BCF from day one and Jeremy served on the Board of Directors for 3+ years. His tireless efforts on the Coquina Jam are geared towards not only running a surf contest on LBI that spotlights incredibly talented female surfers and local businesses but also raises money for a Foundation near and dear to his heart that directs the donations back to local breast cancer patients in need. We thank Jeremy and the entire Jetty ownership team for being committed to our partnership in the Coquina Jam. We look forward to many years working together for the benefit of our local breast cancer patients!

Dani Corso, Mike Eiche and the Jetty Interns deserve special thanks as well. Dani handled doubly duty for managing tasks including social media, email blasts, marketing, sponsors and various other aspects for this event for both Jetty and DD&BCF. Her commitment and dedication to both organizations are a credit to her unfailing Pay it Forward Spirit! Many of you may not know the name Mike Eiche from Jetty but you should – Eiche is the guy always behind the scenes getting the job done. Whether its printing hurricane sandy relief shirts for 16 hours a day or setting up/breaking down Coquina Jam – Eiche will always be there getting the job done! Thanks to the Jetty Interns for braving the elements and supporting the cause.  Thank you to Super Volunteer Matt Mancini for braving the elements from start to finish!

Thanks to Jon Coen for handling the mic duties all day long in very difficult conditions. I know we all look forward to hearing Jon narrate the Coquina Jam Event each year! Thank you to our Judges and support staff that manages the event for us! A special thanks to Randy Budd & Bill Machotka! We want to thank Mark Keeler from MK Productions for giving us sound all day.

Thanks to our amazing Sponsors and Beach Vendors! We have to mention those beach vendors that braved the weather yesterday: Liquid Bliss Yoga/Eden Eco, Farias Surf & Sport, Rodeo Bird, Living on the Veg, El Swell, Black Whale, Naked Juice and Red Bull!

Thank you to the Amazing and Incredibly Talented Female Surfers that came from as far as Costa Rica and as close as our event home in Beach Haven, NJ to participate in our 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam. These women hold a special place in our hearts because they represent the beautiful fighting spirit of our female patients battling a breast cancer diagnosis!

A special thanks to our Generation Dream Team that manned the DD&BCF tent today selling pretzels, water and Generation Dream shirts! Thanks to our director Kim Manzella for managing the tent for us today with Generation Dream. Thank you to Brie Fagan for bringing some of her beautiful handmade jewelry and flower crowns from her company The Wandering Gypsea to sell under our tent!

Last but certainly not least, A Very Special Thanks to our Supporters who continue to amaze us on a daily basis! You battled floods, traffic, rain, and chilly temps – all for the benefit of our local families battling a breast cancer diagnosis. Our patients currently fighting this horrible disease and those we have lost give us our daily inspiration. Our supporters give us the fuel to continue our mission.

Thank you to everybody that participated in the 6th Annual Jetty Coquina Jam from all of us at David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation! See you next year!