October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to celebrate the ECIER, Educate Create Innovate Entrepreneur Relationships, and the Majestic Star Casino hosted a Jubilation fundraiser on Friday starting at Gamba Ristorante in Merrillville.
The evening began with a unique reception held for a diverse group of women to network and become acquainted. After the opening reception they were transported in chauffeured limousines to one of twelve area locations to enjoy an exclusive dinner. After dinner the women were transported back to Gamba for a candlelight reception to honor the breast cancer survivors. During the culmination all attendees received a special gift.
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“This fundraiser is to benefit ECIER and to celebrate breast cancer survivors,” said Chareice White, President of ECIER. “This was our first year and we sold out to 120 women. We’re really excited and happy to be giving a donation to Methodist Hospital, earmarked for uninsured women who can’t afford to get mammograms.”
“It’s an innovative way to raise money,” said White. “We try to teach kids to be innovators and to be entrepreneurs and this a great, innovative fundraising opportunity. We pulled it off and all our women made it to their destinations to all have a great dinner.”
At each of the twelve locations there was a featured speaker who was a survivor of breast cancer. Speaking at Southlake Auto Mall, one of the destinations, was Anne Ortiz who is currently going through treatment for breast cancer.
“Ending in June I found a tumor in my left breast so I went to go get a mammogram,” Ortiz said. “From there I was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. I did have surgery and right now I’m going to University of Chicago to do radiation. I’m doing 37 radiation treatments and Tuesday will be my last one.”
“It’s been really tough,” said Ortiz. “I never thought that I would go through something like this. I have a son at home with muscular dystrophy and taking care of him too has been really hard because I have to make sure that I’m okay in order to be home taking care of him too. He needs me so I have a lot of faith that I’m going to do well. I feel a little tired and burnt from the radiation but otherwise my spirits are high and I’m going to fight to put this behind me and go on.”
“Tonight was my first ever event having to do with breast cancer,” Ortiz said. “It was nice. It was nice to tell my story and it was nice to hear other women’s stories as well.”
General Sales Manager at Southlake Auto Mall, Brian Wilkes, was there interacting and helping out as the women enjoyed dinner in their showroom.
“This has been really cool,” Wilkes said. “We got asked to participate and we thought it would be a really nice thing to do. The women had a nice dinner from Gino’s, who, through one of their personnel, has a connection to the organization.”
The ECIER Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was created to educate, empower, and equip our youth to realize their potential and achieve their dreams. Their Innovative Youth Program provides students with the opportunity and tools to become young leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs.