6TH Annual Sydney Chocolate Ball took place on Saturday 6th July
Ambassadors Jamie Durie OAM and Luke Mangan returned for the 6th Annual Sydney Chocolate Ball on Saturday July 4th, to help raise much needed funds for the not-for-profit FSHD Global Research Foundation.
A celebration of independence is what this date is normally known for in the USA, and indeed across the world. At this event it stood for acknowledging the lack of independence FSHD have to deal with as their symptoms take hold. Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, or FSHD, is an aggressive genetic disease that results in progressive muscle wasting and loss of facial, shoulder, and upper arm muscle. It is considered to be the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults and children.
The Star Event Centre in Sydney hosted the glamorous fundraising event attended by not only Sydney’s elite party set but many of the country’s power brokers and philanthropists.
“As the world’s largest non-government funder of FSHD medical research the Sydney Chocolate Ball provides a chance to make FSHD’s lifetime even shorter,” said Natalie Moss, Managing Director of FSHD Global Research Foundation, daughter of Foundation founder Bill Moss AO.
“With a focus on supporting better diagnostics and applications for clinical trials, we are hopeful that within the next 12 months we are in a position where we are funding a world class clinical trial to improve muscle strength,” she added.
“We are an organisation committed to complete transparency, with 100% of tax deductible dollars directly support leading edge medical research projects around the world, something we are very proud of.”
The evening was a roaring success and featured a chocolate infused three-course menu from FSHD Global Ambassador’s award-winning chef Luke Mangan, including a decadent “death by chocolate” dessert complimented by some of the world’s best champagnes provided by Moet Hennessy Australia. The for kept on coming and coming – delightful!
“Foods rich in anti-oxidants are thought to have a positive effect on FSHD, so with this in mind we decided to use the indulgence of rich chocolate as a theme for our annual fundraising ball,” said Natalie Moss, Managing Director.
Hosted by celebrity landscape designer and long-time ambassador for the FSHD Global Research Foundation, Jamie Durie OAM, the Chocolate Ball is also one of the only charity events to have free flowing champagne all night long, with Krug for Diamond sponsors, Dom Pérignon Platinum and Moët & Chandon, Gold. Guests were in good spirits as record braking funds were raised and the bar for the entertainment on this evening was raised yet again, which included a Chocolate Couture fashion parade and competition, with specially created chocolate-inspired pieces from some of the best of the Whitehouse Institute of Design students.
“We are grateful for the incredibly generous support we receive from our sponsors, most of who have been with us since our first ball five years ago. It’s incredible to be able to raise such a significant amount from one evening, the generosity of attendees is overwhelming,” said Natalie Moss.
The Foundation was honoured as the consecutive winners of the Australian Charity Awards for the category ‘Outstanding Achievement’ for 2013 and 2014, and won the 2014 Australian Service Innovation Awards in an open field category for the ‘FSHD – Find the cure’ app. Interested parties can donate to FSHD Global Research Foundation by visiting www.fshdglobal.org or downloading the free FSHD Find the Cure app.
Leave a Reply