Producer, Philanthropist and Minorities Advocate Loreen Arbus to Serve as Honorary Chair for the Cerebal Palsy International Research Foundation “Power Heroes” Gala

First Annual Event Salutes African-Americans Dedicated to Serving the African-American Community and Will Launch New Research Iniatitive

October 16, 2008 (Beverly Hills, CA)  – Loreen Arbus, TV pioneer, philanthropist, minorities advocate, author, and daughter of Isabelle and Leonard H. Goldenson, Co-Founders of Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation (CPIRF) (formerly known as United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation (UCPREF)), will be Honorary Chair of the First Annual Power Heroes Gala on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at The Four Seasons Hotel, Los Angeles. The evening will highlight African American role models who are committed to educating, mentoring, and empowering those in need in the African American community.  Proceeds from the event will launch CPIRF’s new research initiative to prevent and treat cerebral palsy in the African American population.

 

Power Hero honorees of the evening will include: John Amos, Emmy nominated and NAACP Image Award winning actor; power couple Angela Bassett, Emmy & Academy Award nominated, Golden Globe winning actress and husband, Courtney B. Vance, two-time Tony Award nominated actor both of whom are authors and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors for the United States; Valerie Erwin, President of the Ray Charles Foundation; Paula Madison, Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, NBC Universal, and Areva Martin, Esq., Managing Partner Martin & Martin LLP, President and Co-Founder of the Special Needs Network, Inc.

 

Honorary Chairs include: Charles Floyd Johnson producer, writer, director; Anne Johnson Red Cross volunteer extraordinaire; Taryn Rose, orthopedic surgeon, entrepreneur and luxury shoe designer; Shelley E. Reid, philanthropist, Senior Vice-President Fox Television Studios.

 

A partial list of Dinner Committee members who support CPIRF’S cutting edge advances include:  Mark Canton, Don Cheadle, Susan and David Gersh, First Lady of Nevada, Dawn Gibbons, Louis Gossett, Jr., Julius Irving, LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson, Barbara Lazaroff, Barbara, Lockhart, Nancy Moonves, Joanna and Sidney Poitier, Arleen Sorkin and Christopher Lloyd, Blair Underwood, Keisha and Forest Whitaker, Terrie Williams, Tonya and David Winfield, Pauletta and Denzel Washington, Alfre Woodard and Roderick Spencer.

 

CPIRF’s goal is to raise awareness about the nature and cause of racial disparities in the prevalence of Cerebral Palsy and related developmental disorders. Recently published surveillance studies by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta indicate the prevalence of cerebral palsy and other disabilities is highest among African-American children.  The reasons for this are unknown, making research a necessity.

 

For tickets or additional information regarding the CPIRF Power Heroes Gala, please  contact Pam Sakow at (323) 525-1275 or email pam@sakowevents.com. Individual tickets are available for $350 on up to $1000, with tables and sponsorships ranging from $7,500 to $150,000. For more information about CPIRF please visit www.cpirf.org or contact Mindy Aisen, CEO, Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation maisen@cpirf.org.

Tags: african american role models, african-american community, alfre woodard, angela bassett, blair underwood, charles floyd johnson, coutney vance, dave winfield, denzel washington, don cheadle, forest whitaker, john amos, leonard goldenson, loreen arbus, louis gossett jr., power heroes gala, research initiative, samuel l. jackson, sidney poitier, united cerebral palsy