Westborough – The nonprofit organization 15-40 Connection raised more than $950,000 at its signature fundraising event, the 2016 Ungerer Gala, Auction & Golf Tournament.
15-40 Connection, headquartered in Westborough, is dedicated to saving lives by empowering people to recognize cancer symptoms and effectively communicate those symptoms to their physician. The organization was founded by Jim Coghlin in response to a startling statistic – improvements in cancer survival rates for people aged 15 to 40 had been lagging behind all other age groups since 1975.
The keynote speaker at the gala was former WBZ-TV Arts and Entertainment reporter Joyce Kulhawik, a three-time cancer survivor. Kulhawik gave an inspirational talk that reinforced the importance of recognizing cancer symptoms and being your own advocate when dealing with doctors to ensure an early and proper diagnosis.
The 15-40 Connection events were held over two days, with the gala taking place at EMC in Southborough, while the golf tournament was held at The Haven Country Club in Boylston and Worcester Country Club in Worcester. The gala featured a live auction conducted Paul Zekos and the theme was “Positively Orange: Feel the Power.”
Funds raised through the events will benefit 15-40 Connection education and awareness programs.
For more information on 15-40 Connection, visit www.NewCancerConversation.org.