PAXTON’S PABLOVE FEST LAUNCHED TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD CANCER WITH LOVE
Family-Friendly Music Festival to take place on Saturday, September 22 featuring live music, art, local food & beverages and a silent auction
Milwaukee, August 29, 2012 – Earlier this year the tight-knit Milwaukee community was rocked when three-month-old Paxton Andrews was diagnosed and ultimately ended his heroic battle with cancer. The diagnosis was a complete shock to new parents John and Danna as their May visit to the pediatrician was supposed to treat a routine cold and possible eye infection. Paxton’s story spread quickly and a team of friends and strangers banded together to support and champion Paxton’s fight and carry on his spirit by working to get this senseless disease to stop bullying our kids.
As part of this mission, Team Paxton has announced the first annual Paxton’s Pablove Fest, a family-friendly music festival at Hart Park Rotary Performance Stage in Wauwatosa, Wis., on Saturday, September 22, 2012 from noon to 7:00 p.m. The net proceeds from the music festival will benefit The Pablove Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to “Fighting childhood cancer with love”, which was founded by Milwaukee native, Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill after their four-year-old son Pablo was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer. The festival will feature performances from Maritime, Fever Marlene, Rectifier, John Hauser from The Love Monkeys, Slimrox, Majestic Mudd, DJ Paul H and more.
“The love and support this community showed for our son Paxton and the work that has been done in his name is hard to comprehend. We are so moved,” said Danna Andrews. “We are so eager to support The Pablove Foundation in Paxton’s name and to honor his battle so work can continue fighting childhood cancer.”
“We are incredibly honored that Team Paxton has chosen to support The Pablove Foundation. Through their efforts, the stories of children and families affected by childhood cancer will continue to be heard,” said Jo Ann Thrailkill, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Pablove Foundation.
“It touches my heart to see my hometown of Milwaukee rally around the fight against childhood cancer. Paxton’s Pablove Party is going to be a can’t-miss event,” added Jeff Castelaz, Co-Founder of The Pablove Foundation.
Tickets for Paxton’s Pablove Fest are on sale now at TeamPaxton.org through Friday, September 21. Adult tickets are $20.00; Children 13-17 years old are $10.00 and children under 12 are FREE.
Several children’s activities and entertainment will be provided for free throughout the day. Additional entertainment and special appearances by local celebrities are expected. Maxie’s Southern Comfort and Blue’s Egg will provide a food menu with a wide variety of options to satisfy many tastes. Sprecher Brewery will provide craft beer and gourmet sodas.
All net proceeds will be donated to The Pablove Foundation, whose mission is to fund pediatric cancer research and advances in treatment, educate and empower cancer families, and improve the quality of life for children living with cancer through hospital play, music and arts programs.
Team Paxton is a Milwaukee-based, all volunteer unincorporated non-profit association dedicated to stopping cancer from stealing more children out of their parent’s arms. Team Paxton was founded in May 2012 after three-month-old Paxton Andrews was diagnosed with an undifferentiated sarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. Though Paxton ended his battle with cancer on July 2, 2012, Team Paxton remains determined to honor him by focusing all of its efforts on fighting childhood cancer through fundraising events for organizations such as The MACC Fund and The Pablove Foundation. More information can be found at TeamPaxton.org, on Twitter: @TeamPaxtonWI and Facebook.com/TeamPaxton.
Paxton’s Pablove Fest was inspired by Paxton Bowe Andrews, a baby diagnosed with cancer at just three months of age. His story went viral via Facebook and Twitter and eventually formed an “Army of Love” from around the world to support Paxton and his parents, John and Danna Andrews. Paxton’s ended his fight with cancer when he was just 142 days old on July 2, 2012.
The Pablove Foundation (www.pablove.org) was founded in May 2008 by Milwaukee native Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill after their four-year-old son Pablo Castelaz was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer. After a valiant fight against the disease, Pablo passed away six days past his sixth birthday on June 27, 2009. Imbued with his spirit and inspired by his strength, The Pablove Foundation is dedicated to the daily, global fight against childhood cancer and the suffering that comes in its wake. The Pablove Foundation’s scientific advisory committee is comprised of the brightest minds in the pediatric cancer field, including doctors and researchers from Harvard, Duke, University of Michigan, USC, City of Hope and others.
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Interviews are available in advance of the event with John and Danna Andrews (Team Paxton), Jeff Castelaz (The Pablove Foundation), event organizers (Team Paxton’s Team Captains) and participating band members as well.
