Continuing to inspire contributions with the ultimate goal in mind
As leader of the live auction aspect of The Rory David Deutsch Foundation Family Event in November, David Duckler is excited about what he calls the “amazing” items that have already been donated for auction. He notes the prospect of also landing tickets to television productions that could include “Saturday Night Live,” “American Idol,” and award shows through his good friend Richard Lovett, who heads Creative Artists Agency (CAA). David emphasizes that the ultimate promise of every auction item, every independent donation to The Foundation, and the money raised from every Foundation event is a contribution to finding a cure to pediatric brain cancer. “That’s the ultimate goal,” he says.
As a board member since The Foundation’s inception, David says the action and enthusiasm that so many have put forward in the past ten years has been driven by that single goal. “Ross and Mindy and the rest of Rory’s family have demonstrated their constant dedication to that goal, and others have responded to that goal by making a long-term investment in The Foundation,” he says. “If all of the independent fundraising events and activities that have benefited The Foundation continue to succeed, then one day there will no longer be a need for those events and activities. They will simply be celebrations. We have to acknowledge that, while we’ve been at it for a while, we are indeed making progress toward that goal.”
David is among the board members who have met with researchers receiving funding through The Foundation. “We have seen the difference that it makes,” he says. “In some cases, specific funding has directly led to doctors adding another member or two to their team in a particular area of research. Part of their progress includes developing treatments that keep patients alive longer, knowing that the longer a patient lives the better chance he or she has of benefiting from further advances. In this battle it comes down to money that goes to continue these efforts, which is why The Foundation is structured to ensure that administrative and other costs don’t dilute the money that is raised.”
It’s this structure that David says has helped The Foundation build such a loyal and continually growing coalition of supporters. “We all are connected to a person who has suffered from cancer,” he says. “As Ross and Mindy see it, and have always seen it, The Foundation offers all of us an opportunity to contribute to a cause not simply that has impacted their family, but one that continues to impact all of our families.”