Congenital Hyperinsulinism International’s (CHI) annual Sugar Soirée will once again unite supporters in celebration of the congenital hyperinsulinism (HI) community and raise funds aimed at improving the lives of children and adults born with this rare condition.
This year, the Sugar Soirée will be held on the evening of September 28, at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, New Jersey. Built in 1914, the Montclair Art Museum is an architecturally stunning heritage building that entices visitors with its portico and neo-classical columns. The Native American and American art collection is one of the most comprehensive in the region. The event will include a private viewing of the art collection.
CHI envisions a future where every individual born with HI can access essential medication, surgeries, blood sugar testing supplies, effective treatments, and, ultimately, a cure. Our mission is rooted in ending the threat of brain damage and mortality associated with this condition, allowing individuals to live free from the constant fear of hypoglycemia.
As a global lifeline, CHI is dedicated to providing support and resources to those affected by HI, striving to create a world where “lows” are a thing of the past.
Funds raised at the Sugar Soirée will continue to support the work of CHI:
- Raising vital awareness of HI to end preventable brain damage and death from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
- Funding HI research for better treatments and a cure.
- Helping patients gain access to specialized treatment, medications, and supplies.
- Supporting those living with the disease and their families every step of the way.
The Sugar Soirée will offer an unparalleled opportunity for sponsors to demonstrate philanthropic commitment at a premier event that brings together people from across the country who are part of the CHI community, including leaders in finance, healthcare, biotech, research, the arts, and technology.
For more information on Sugar Soirée sponsorships, visit here.
Attending the Sugar Soirée is a wonderful opportunity to support a meaningful cause and spend time with a fantastic community, all while enjoying a unique and coveted dining and entertainment experience. You can see photos from last year’s event here.
Our 2024 Sugar Soirée host for the evening is Cheri Preston. Cheri is an award-winning broadcaster who currently anchors Morning Drive ABC hourly news and bottom-of-the-hour updates on radio stations across the country. A breaking news veteran, she has been behind the microphone for some of the biggest stories of the past decade, including the invasion of Iraq, Superstorm Sandy, the capture of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect, and the Sandy Hook shootings. She is also host of the weekly features program “Perspective.”
Be My Sugar Awards to be given at the 2024 Sugar Soirée
This year we are thrilled to be honoring three people with Be My Sugar awards. The Be My Sugar Sweetest Supporter Award goes to Sally Bliumis-Dunn. Sally has been an ardent supporter of CHI since even before it was a nonprofit with official status. Sally was a fantastic helpmate at the first CHI Family Conference in Philadelphia in 2003, where she led the children in a poetry workshop. She made the production of the first CHI video possible, based on the inaugural 2003 family conference, and has been a crucial helpmate ever since. Sally has supported and attended all ten prior Sugar Soirées, and with great enthusiasm. Through a family foundation, Sally has made meaningful contributions to CHI every single year of CHI’s existence. In her professional life, Sally is a prize-winning poet who publishes regularly in journals and has written four books that collections of her poems. She is also a feature writer for Plume Magazine. Sally is always ready to lend a hand with proof reading or wordsmithing, and she is a wonderful moral support to the community.
The Be My Sugar Extraordinary Nurse award goes to Clare Gilbert. Clare is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in hypoglycemia and HI within the endocrinology team Great Ormond Street (GOSH) in London. GOSH is one of six CHI Centers of Excellence in the world. Clare first came to GOSH in 1998 as a ward nurse, and then found her passion in caring for infants and children with HI. She subsequently assisted in setting up the first NHS England-commissioned center for this disorder in the UK. In addition to being a lead member of the GOSH clinical team, Clare has been on the faculty of CHI family conferences year after year. She has given many important presentations and her compassion and knowledge are always in full force. She is completely present and so thoughtful in how she shares her expertise and eases the minds of worried HI families. Clare is also a key member of the CHI Collaborative Research Network and has made important contributions to a variety of its research and advocacy projects.
The Be My Sugar Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Mark Sperling. Mark is receiving this award for his research and clinical work in the service of people living with congenital hyperinsulinism. Mark has had a tremendous career as a professor, clinician, and author. An expert in pediatric endocrinology, he has authored countless articles and chapters on neonatal hypoglycemia and with his stature in the field has helped to elevate the topic, which is so vital to the wellbeing of people born with the condition. He also publishes the Sperling Pediatric Endocrinology Book, which has educated many on neonatal hypoglycemia. He is one of the authors of the PES 2015 hypoglycemia guidelines, of monumental importance to us as we raise awareness of the need to find and treat those with neonatal hypoglycemia before a brain injury occurs. He never stops. Even in his career as an emeritus professor, he finds time to be a member of the CHI Scientific Advisory Board.
Our musical guests will be former CHI Staff member and professional singer-songwriter Janna Pelle and her husband Eric Vanderzee. The Catskills-based couple are both multi-faceted musicians. Janna Pelle is a classically trained pianist, singer, drummer, guitarist, and producer and released her most recent album Echolocation in 2022. Eric Vanderzee is a classical guitarist turned experimental musician who recently released his debut album, Divergent.
Tickets to the 2024 Sugar Soiree can be purchased here. If you want to be sure you are on our mailing list to receive that information, please join the list here.
If you cannot attend this year’s Sugar Soirée, but would like to make a donation, you can donate here.
A room block has been set aside for our Sugar Soirée guests at the special rate of $359.00 per night at the MC Hotel, 690 Bloomfield Ave in Montclair, located within walking distance of the Montclair Art Museum. Book your group rate for Congenital HI Sugar Soiree Room Block for the MC Hotel before Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
Accommodations will also be available at the Cambria Hotel West Orange at the special rate of $149.00 per night, located a few miles from the venue at 12 Rooney Circle, West Orange, NJ, 07052, US. Book your group rate at the Cambria Hotel before Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
