Tuesday night's annual Holiday Rock & Roll Bash in New York City raised a record amount exceeding $1.7 million to aid pancreatic cancer research, the event backers said.
Cablevision, AMC Networks and The Madison Square Garden Co. said more than 1,000 guests attended the fundraising event at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. All funds raised go to the cancer-research cause via The Lustgarten Foundation.
As always, Cablevision CEO James Dolan's rock-and-roll and blues band, The Straight Shot, performed, as did the Radio City Rockettes.
Created in 2001, the Holiday Rock & Roll Bash has become The Lustgarten Foundation's premier annual event and its most important fundraiser. Since its inception, the Holiday Rock & Roll Bash has raised more than $13 million to benefit pancreatic cancer research. More information is available at curePC.org.
Lustgarten Foundation executive director Kerri Kaplan said in a statement: "We are deeply grateful for the tremendous support we receive each year from all who attend this important event. And thanks to Cablevision's support, 100% of every dollar raised for the Holiday Rock & Roll Bash goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. These funds are critical as we continue in our mission to detect this deadly disease earlier, to develop better treatments and ultimately, to find a cure."
Former Cablevision vice chairman and Madison Square Garden chairman Marc Lustgarten established The Lustgarten Foundation, along with Cablevision chairman Charles Dolan and James Dolan, following Lustgarten's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 1998 before he died the next year.
The foundation has become the nation's largest private foundation dedicated solely to funding pancreatic cancer research, providing more than $38 million to research since its inception.
