Event to Benefit University of Chicago Medicine Mesothelioma Program and Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
Simmons Hanly Conroy, LLC, one of the leading mesothelioma law firms in the country, is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the Mesothelioma Heroes Foundation’s Second Annual “I Know a Superhero” Family Fun Festival taking place this Saturday at Mt. Greenwood Park/St. Christina Fields on Chicago’s southwest side.
Simmons Hanly Conroy’s donation of $2,500 to sponsor the event will help forward the Mesothelioma Heroes Foundation’s mission to raise awareness about asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, a rare, incurable form of cancer that is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. Proceeds from the Family Fun Festival will benefit the University of Chicago Medicine’s mesothelioma program and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.
Both the Mesothelioma Heroes Foundation and the festival are inspired by Chicagoan David “SuperDad” Dioguardi and his heroic fight against mesothelioma. A loving husband and father of nine children, Dioguardi has been successfully battling mesothelioma since September 2011. The nickname “SuperDad” was born when David’s oldest daughter gave him a Superman cape, which he kept hung over his hospital bed while undergoing extensive surgery.
“Stories like David Dioguardi’s fight against mesothelioma is an inspiring reminder of the strength of the human spirit,” said Simmons Hanly Conroy Shareholder Tim Thompson, the mesothelioma attorney who oversaw Dioguardi’s case. “We are honored to support David and his family in their fight against this preventable cancer in and out of the courtroom.”
When first diagnosed, Dioguardi was told he had a few months to live. It was not until he and his family were introduced to the University of Chicago Medicine’s mesothelioma program that they began to have hope not only for Dioguardi’s prolonged life, but also for considerable quality of life. Throughout their experience, the Dioguardi family realized there was a lack of public awareness about mesothelioma and a lack of government funding for organizations such as the University of Chicago Medicine.
“We were concerned that there were other families like ours who were dealing with mesothelioma and were not aware of the new and emerging treatment options for this preventable cancer that could give them hope,” said Domani Tripam, one of Dioguardi’s daughters. “We wanted to do something to change that.”
Inspired by Dioguardi’s experience and wanting to give hope to other families, the Dioguardi family started the Mesothelioma Heroes Foundation and hosted the first “I Know a Superhero” Family Fun Festival last year.
“I hope everyone will bring their families this weekend and come enjoy a family fun day that helps a great cause and celebrates the hero in all of us,” Tripam said.
The Family Fun Festival runs from 2 to 10 p.m. near 111th Street and Central Park Avenue in Chicago. Advance admission tickets cost $10 per person and are available at http://mesoheroes.org/product-category/tickets/. Admission on the day of the event is $15 for adults and $5 for children age 12 and under. Admission covers softball and beanbag tournaments, live entertainment, a superhero costume contest, live art, a reptile display by the Chicago Herpetological Society, a kid’s fun zone with a bouncy house, and much more. Each adult admission also includes a chance to win a cash prize.
For more information about the Family Fun Festival or the Mesothelioma Heroes Foundation, visit www.mesoheroes.org.
