The Cameron Boyce Foundation will hold its first-ever inaugural fundraising event, ”Cam For A Cause: A Fundraiser for The Cameron Boyce Foundation To End Epilepsy”, on May 18, 2022. The gala will raise funds and awareness towards the fight against epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) which tragically caused the young actor’s death in July of 2019.
For those who aren’t already aware, epilepsy is a common, yet complex neurological condition that causes recurrent seizures and affects over 50 million people worldwide. SUDEP refers to the sudden, unexpected death of someone who suffers from epilepsy but is otherwise healthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every 1000 people with epilepsy passes away each year in the United States from SUDEP.
The immersive fundraiser will take place at the SOHO Warehouse in Los Angeles, California, and many of the late star’s closest friends and colleagues are anticipated to attend. Meagan King, an Alvin Ailey dancer, will provide an emotive performance during the event. King’s dance will be set to an original tune composed by Hailey Knox, which was adapted from a poem written by Libby (Cameron’s mother and co-founder of TCBF) for Cameron. The gala, which will be hosted by actress Miranda May, is also likely to feature comedian Maz Jobrani.
“We’re really excited about this opportunity to really show what we’re doing, and to share our stories and help us move forward in our battle against epilepsy,” says Victor Boyce, Cameron’s father and co-founder of TCBF. “Cameron would’ve been 23 years old this year. Just thinking about that breaks my heart, every minute of every day. But, every year on his birthday, he didn’t want presents. He wanted to give back and he would always do something to help others. In that spirit, that’s why we’re doing the gala.”
“So many people know somebody with epilepsy,” says Libby. “There are so many situations where we found ourselves thinking, ‘Wow, why isn’t this louder? Why aren’t people talking about this?’ It’s just been in the shadows for too long”. Libby and Victor say their work with TCBF has also helped them cope with their grief. TCBF was founded in 2019 as a way to memorialize their late son’s altruistic passion while also raising funds to cure epilepsy via research and education.
Although the Cameron Boyce foundation has already made a significant impact on those who are affected by epilepsy, there is still much work to be done. “It starts with Cameron, and, we need this to be bigger than Cameron, because it affects so many people,” says Victor. “ It devastated our lives, but we’re not gone. We’re trying to recover, rebuild, and keep moving forward.”
Tickets for “Cam For A Cause” are available now. For more information, visit this event page. If you are not able to attend the gala but would still like to support the cause, you can donate directly to The Cameron Boyce Foundation, here: https://kindest.com/cameron-boyce-foundation