The Promise Ball 2012 | VIDEOS

The Promise Ball 2012 | PHOTOS

Committee | Honorees | Fund-A-Cure | Sponsors | Corporate & Social Tables

JDRF PROMISE BALL 2012
RAISES OVER $800,000

Phoenix, AZ -On Saturday, January 21, more than 500 guests gathered at The
Phoenician Resort to celebrate the 12th anniversary of The Promise Ball for the JDRF Desert Southwest Chapter.  The evening's goal was to raise funds to help find a cure, treatment and prevention for type 1 diabetes.  The event raised over $800,000. The Ball included cocktails, dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions and a special appearance by musician and celebrity honoree Bret Michaels

"We are thrilled to have raised so much money at this year's Promise Ball and Bret was instrumental in making that happen", said Ken Brissa. JDRF Executive Director.  "Bret is selfless when it comes to using his celebrity and influence to raise money and awareness for JDRF and our cause." Michaels' live auction items, a destination concert on a private plane and autographed guitars, raised $78,000.  Michaels was honored with the Tom Crawford Power of One Award, named after the late father of a type 1 son and JDRF advocate.

This year's Promise Ball theme was A Galaxy of Possibilities. Attendees included Vicki Santo and Linda Santo-Brown, the wife and daughter of Ron Santo who was recently named to Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. Santo, a Scottsdale resident, passed away in December 2010.  To recognize his decades of support for JDRF the Arizona Walks will be named the "Walk to
Cure Diabetes Celebrating Ron Santo" starting in 2012.

About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is now the largest charitable supporter of T1D research. The goal of JDRF research is to improve the lives of all people affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.6 billion to diabetes research. Past JDRF efforts have helped to significantly advance the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education.