Superhero Alex Foundation Comedy Show: Help fight pediatric illness with a night of laughs
SOMERSET — It was a couple weeks into Alex Rogers treatment for leukemia, and chemo's toxic effect had finally started to rear its hideous head. Alex felt awful. And because Alex felt awful, his mother, Beth Rogers, was feeling low as well.
Somehow, an interesting thought, a non-specific prognostication, popped into her head and she shared her thought with Alex, well known in and around town as Superhero Alex.
“I said we're going to make something good come of this,” Beth recalled Wednesday from their Sullivan Avenue home.
That prediction was made three years ago. Last year, Beth started the Superhero Alex Foundation, a non-profit with a stated mission of helping families deal with life-threatening pediatric illnesses. Last fall, the fledgling foundation held a golf tournament fundraiser, raising $14,000.
Beth subsequently envisioned a springtime fundraiser, and with a big assist from neighbor and author Steve Manchester, that vision became reality. On April 4, the inaugural Superhero Alex Foundation Comedy Show will be held at White's of Westport.
Thirty tables of 10 had already been sold as of the middle of last week. There's room for more, Beth emphasized.
The foundation, she said, is expected to soon have its website operational. That will allow visitors to learn about the foundation and for people to apply for assistance.
It's assistance, Beth knows firsthand, that is sorely needed. She said when a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, first, parental paralysis can set in. Next is the realization that continued full-time or even part-time work may not be possible for one or two parents. Then comes the realization that bills keep pouring in. Money starts getting devoured for gas and parking and meals when treatments require short and medium and long stays at out-of-town hospitals.
“We want to be able to lessen the burden,” said Beth, a Fall River School Dept. teacher who has not worked since the leukemia diagnosis three years ago. She has applied for an early retirement. Alex, who has Down Syndrome, has most recently had adrenal gland issues. But his immune system has slowly improved, Beth said, and he's expected to return to Somerset High School after April vacation week and to graduate later this spring.
When Beth one day mentioned her comedy show idea to her neighbor, Manchester exploded into action. A 20-plus-year veteran of fundraisers, Manchester operates his Laughter and Wishes Comedy Benefit organization. He's worked with A Wish Come True, with Make-a-Wish, and with individual families affected by life-threatening illness or life-altering injury.
“He's carried this on his shoulders,” Beth said.
The April 4 show ($35) will feature four comedians — Dave Andrews, Steve Donovan, Joe Holden, Tony V. “They're among the best comedians in New England,” Manchester said. “They're all headliners.”
Manchester said organizing this show together has been far from a one-man show. “It's been done by committee. The board of directors have worked hard to put this thing together,” he said. “It's an honor to be part of it.”
In addition to enjoying the four aforementioned comedians, attendees are expected to hear a few jokes and enjoy some 1970s-1980s TV show impersonations from Alex Rogers, 18, himself. Spoiler alert: One of his favorite impersonations is a dead-on Shaggy from Scooby-Doo.
To purchase tickets for the Thursday, April 4 comedy show, contact Beth Rogers at 774-644-0355 or erogers444@gmail.com. Doors open at 6 p.m.. The comedians will perform from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
The event will also include a Chinese raffle (21 baskets, total worth $3,500) and both live and silent auctions that include Red Sox tickets, tandem skydiving, and original art work.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Superhero Alex Foundation Comedy Show at White's of Westport April 4
