Cablevision's 'Holiday Rock & Roll Bash' Raises Record $1.7 Million For Lustgarten Foundation

Highlighted By JD & Straight Shot, Annual Event Benefits Pancreatic Cancer Research

Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 12/10/2010 6:10:03 PM

The 10th edition of Cablevision's "Holiday Rock & Roll Bash" raised the most money to benefit The Lustgarten Foundation.
The Dec. 9 event, held in conjunction with Rainbow Media, Cablevision's programming unit and Madison Square Garden at the Hard Rock Café in Manhattan, raised some $1.7 million, the most ever in a single night in New York City for scientific and clinical research related to the diagnosis, treatment and cure of pancreatic cancer. 

Given Cablevision's ongoing commitment to underwrite all of The Lustgarten Foundation's administrative costs, all of last night's proceeds are ticketed directly to pancreatic cancer research. 

All told, more than 1,000 cable and media industry guests and friends attended the show, which centered around the rock-and-roll and blues stylings of JD & The Straight Shot, the band fronted by Cablevision CEO James Dolan. The evening also included an appearance by Robert Randolph, the pedal steel guitarist from the funk and soul group, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, as well as the Radio City Rockettes and the big man himself, Santa Claus.

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 annual party has raised more than $11.3 million to benefit pancreatic cancer research.

The Lustgarten Foundation was established in 1998 by Marc Lustgarten, the former vice chairman of Cablevision and chairman of Madison Square Garden, along with the help of Cablevision, following his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He passed away from the disease in 1999. Today, the foundation that Lustgarten inspired is the nation's largest private entity dedicated solely to funding pancreatic cancer research, providing more than $32 million to research since its inception.

"We are extremely appreciative of everyone who comes out each year to support this important event," said Lustgarten Foundation executive director Kerri Kaplan in a statement.  :It means so much to know that 100 percent of every dollar raised for the Holiday Rock & Roll Bash goes directly to pancreatic cancer research, thanks to Cablevision's support. This money will be used to help fund critical research so we can someday find a cure for this deadly disease."

Learn more Vmore about The Lustgarten Foundation and Cablevision's fight against pancreatic cancer at curePC.org.