By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
DAYTON — Hugs for Brady will be presenting Dr. Randy Siegal an award at the first Hugs for Brady Winter Gala.
Dr. Siegal will be presented with the Pediatric Cancer Humanitarian of the Year Award, according to Sherrie Wells, one of the founders of Hugs for Brady.
The event will be Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Grape Escape in Dayton at 12 Stults Road from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Ms. Wells said.
There are 200 tickets available at $50 each since the gala also is a fundraiser for the Hugs for Brady Foundation, which benefits childhood cancer victims, Ms. Wells said.
Sherrie and Mike Wells founded The Hugs for Brady Foundation to honor their son, Brady, Ms. Wells said.
Brady was the victim of a rare form of leukemia called non-differentiated acute leukemia, which claimed his life July 30, 2010, according to the website.
Hugs for Brady helps and works with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Bristol-Meyers Squibb Children’s Hospital, and the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Foundation, according to the foundation’s website.
The Hugs for Brady Foundation helps victims of childhood cancers and their families and is looking to find a cure for all childhood cancer, according to the website.
Dr. Siegal, who Ms. Wells said helped Brady with his fight against cancer, is a cardiovascular and intervention radiologist, according to RWJH’s website.
Other events planned for the gala include wine tasting straight from the barrels, music, refreshments and live and silent auctions, Ms. Wells said.
A celebrity cruise for two in the Caribbean in the Ocean view room with VIP privileges, a Sonoma VIP wine experience in wine country in California, a three-night stay at the Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa in wine country in California, a “fighter pilot for a day” adventure, rooftop seating and dining experience at Wrigley Stadium in Chicago and two seats at the 2011 ESPY awards in Los Angeles will be auctioned in a live auction, Ms. Wells said.
Smaller items are being auctioned in the silent auction, Ms. Wells said.
The gala is open to the public, and about 100 Robert Wood Johnson employees were planning to attend the event as of Monday, she said.
The tickets are sold on a “first-come, first-served basis,” she said.
This winter gala is the foundation’s first, and Dr. Siegal is its first honoree, Ms. Wells said.
”The only other time that we honored people was when we asked people to help at Brady’s funeral/memorial service,” Ms. Wells said.
Steven Jones, CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, gave the eulogy at Brady’s funeral, and Ellen Gambatese, Mayor Frank Gambatese’s wife, reflected on Brady’s life, Ms. Wells said.
”Right now, our main focus is to raise $300,000 for a three-year fellowship program for a pediatric hematologist/oncologist for Bristol Meyer’s Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJH in New Brunswick,” Ms. Wells said. “This person would work directly under Brady’s doctor, Dr. Richard Drachtman.”
This is not the only goal for the foundation.
”It would also be wonderful if we could sponsor hospital grade wagons as that is how Brady spent most of his 10 months in the hospital, riding around in his red wagon,” Ms. Wells said.
Hugs for Brady is a not-for-profit organization that also accepts tax-deductible monetary donations, according to the website.
Tickets still are available. To purchase tickets, write a check to Hugs for Brady and mail it to 4 Quentin Road in Kendall Park, Ms. Wells said.
For more information, visit www.hugsforbrady.org.

