The Beauty Has Beaten the Beast Charge Up Campaign Hosts 3rd Annual Pink Champagne Gala
Beauty has conquered the Beast and a celebration of life has commenced. The Charge Up Campaign, along with SC Visionary Services and The Table Talk Series, hosted the 3rd Annual Pink Champagne Gala, Cancer is a Beast, Saturday, June 3 at Atlanta Metropolitan State College. The enchanted evening was a grand celebration of survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals and support organizations. Guests were welcomed to a Pink Carpet reception hosted by Saga Boss of the DTTO Show (www.instinctradio.com). Libations of Karma Tequila and Keynote Wine flowed while attendees enjoyed being serenaded by Flautist John William. Themed after the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast, the ballroom was transformed to the likeness of Belle’s dance with pink and white roses, candles and teacups. The gala opened with a special dance performance by Connecting the Lines. The troupe performed to the John Legend and Ariana Grande rendition of Beauty and the Beast. Throughout the evening, the gala hosts “Big Ray” Dyer of V-103 and Kim McNair of Women on the Move maintained an atmosphere of celebration. Speakers for the evening were Tiah Tomlin, breast cancer survivor and founder of the support group My Breast Years Ahead, Tayler James and Manica Pierrette - representatives for Painted Pink for Breast Cancer and Charlotte Wilson of Glow Skin Enhancement. Wilson presented a special moment which included a poem, Cancer is a Beast, written by Charge Up Campaign founder Charessa Sawyer and team member Shondrel Ross. The moment concluded with a specia
l presentation to survivors and caregivers. Each was presented with a rose and gift from Glow Skin Enhancement. Other special moments included performances by violinist Ashley Pointer of Salute the Music and recognition of Sawyer’s mother, a breast cancer survivor and the muse of Charge Up Campaign.
The evenings keynote speaker was Dr. Anita Johnson, a Breast Surgical Oncologist at the Cancer Treatment Center in Newnan, Georgia. In her role, she has seen patients that have great support systems and those that have no support system. She spoke of how, more often than not, individuals arrive to appointments alone and have no one to check on them during their treatments. She encouraged guests to provide a strong support system for friends and family during and after their diagnosis, support programs such as Charge Up Campaign that offers a different resource for survivors and, importantly, to get checked for early detection. In celebration of survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals and supporters, Charge Up Campaign presented awards to: Survivors Tiah Tomlin, Ann-Marie Appiah, Tanisha Mackin and Natalie Surpris, Healthcare Professionals and Organizations Dr. Anita Johnson, Meisha Woolford, RN BSN and Anisa Palmer and Supporters Janet Jackson and Larry Gibson. The evening concluded with the traditional Pink Champagne Toast presented by Exclusiv Vodka and a special performance by former Death Row recording artist Danny Boy. Sponsors for the evening include: Upscale Magazine, The HR ER, Colorfest, Status Publicity, Darryl Wiseman Flowers, Designs & Mimosas and Luxury Lounge & Lighting. This year, the gala will also travel to New Bern, North Carolina and will be held in October. It will return to Atlanta, Georgia June 2, 2018. The Pink Road Trip will resume summer 2017 and partner with CEI Cosmetology School, Glow Skin Enhancement and Upscale Magazine to provide makeovers to cancer survivors and caregivers in cities across the US. To find out how to support Charge Up Campaign email chargeupcampaign@gmail.com.