Laughter will take centre stage in Niagara-on-the-Lake next week as Pink Pearl Canada hosts a comedy fundraiser aimed at supporting young women navigating life with cancer.
Eat, Pink, Drink! Comedy returns Friday, May 15 at White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa, featuring comedians Frank Spadone, Leonard Chan and Ali Hassan for an evening of live entertainment in support of the national charitable organization.
Elise Gasbarrino, founder and executive director of Pink Pearl Canada, a Niagara-on-the-Lake resident and ovarian cancer survivor, said this marks the fifth year of the Eat, Pink, Drink! fundraiser and the third year the event has centered around stand-up comedy.
“We’re excited to have some of the same lineup back,” she said. “It’s just a really fun night for a good cause.”
Pink Pearl Canada supports self-identifying women between the ages of 18 and 40 who are coping with the social and emotional impacts of a cancer diagnosis.
Gasbarrino said proceeds from events like Eat, Pink, Drink! help fund retreats and peer-support initiatives for women facing cancer.
Last December, the organization received $14,500 from Niagara-on-the-Lake’s annual Candlelight Stroll fundraiser. Gasbarrino said the funding helped support the group’s most recent retreat in February.
The retreats bring together women diagnosed with cancer to connect with peers and hear from guest speakers, including social workers, doctors and fertility specialists. Participants also take part in roundtable discussions and peer-support sessions.
Gasbarrino said the organization’s work centres heavily on mental health support for young women facing cancer during major life transitions.
“When you get the cancer diagnosis at that age, there’s a lot that’s happening — maybe you’re getting your first job, or going to school, or moving away from home, or getting married,” she said.
“Then, that cancer diagnosis on top of that, that mental load, all of it is really where we come in.”
Gasbarrino said Pink Pearl Canada hopes to expand its reach across Ontario and eventually into other parts of the country, including Calgary, Halifax and Vancouver, while continuing to grow its peer-support programs.
The event runs from 8 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $60 plus tax, while VIP tables for 10 are available for $700 plus tax. VIP packages include seating in the first two rows, access to a 7 p.m. cocktail hour before the show with a charcuterie spread and a meet-and-greet with the comedians.
Individual VIP tickets are also available for $80, allowing solo guests to join a VIP table, attend the cocktail hour and enjoy wine service at their table.
Tickets for Eat, Pink, Drink! Comedy are available through Eventbrite. White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa is located at 253 Taylor Rd.
