June 9, 2008
Deepdale Golf Club
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View photos from the events
With the help of Mark Kessenich, Jr., his family and friends, the University of Miami Kessenich Family MDA ALS Center was established in 1997. Each year physicians at the University of Miami care for more than 250 patients with ALS from the United States and around the world, accounting for more than 1,500 patient visits. More than 150 new patients are seen annually at the Kessenich Family MDA ALS Center.
Because of the high cost of multidisciplinary care, the Center needs $200,000 per year to keep its core staff, run the support groups, and publish a quarterly newsletter for the ALS community.
June 11, 2007
Deepdale Golf Club
To make a donation to the Kess Cup
The first annual Mark F. Kessenich, Jr. ALS Invitational golf tournament was held Monday, June 12th at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, New York and was highlighted by a live solo acoustic performance by singer-songwriter Edwin McCain. The “Kess ALS Cup” raised over $225,000 – not including matching corporate gift programs that are still being processed. The beneficiary was the Kessenich Family MDA/ALS Center in Miami, Florida, and the event was run by the late Mark Kessenich Jr.’s 3 children Barbara Kessenich Robertson of Greenville, South Carolina, Mark F. Kessenich III of Garden City, New York, and Paul T. Kessenich, of Manhasset, New York The day was a testament to the friendships he (a.k.a “Kess) made over his lifetime and his deep love of Deepdale and the game of golf.
With the help of Mark Kessenich, Jr., his family and friends, the University of Miami Kessenich Family MDA ALS Center was established in 1997. The mission of the center is to provide multi-dimensional support, advance research into the cause and cure of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and to coordinate health care (including speech language pathology, nutrition, psychology, and respiratory therapy) to improve the patient’s quality of life. Over the last nine years, nearly 4 million dollars has been raised, and the Center has treated and consulted over 900 patients. The Center sees approximately 100-150 new patients each year, along with 250 patients on an ongoing basis. With the help of neurologists, registered nurses, and physical therapists (among others), the Center provides families and patients support from the time of diagnosis throughout the course of the disease.
Mark F. Kessenich was a former Citibank and EF Hutton executive and CEO of Eastbridge Capital. He was a highly respected bond market trader who ran one of the most successful bond trading operations during one of the most volatile time in market history. He also was a scratch golfer at the time of his diagnosis in December 1994. Mark died in 2001 at the age 62 after a valiant seven-year battle against ALS. Sadly, Mark’s sister, Joanne Knief, also lost her battle with ALS in 2003.
ALS is the most devastating neurodegenerative disease, affecting almost as many patients per year as multiple sclerosis. Patients become progressively paralyzed due to degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. They usually die within two to five years, unable to breathe or swallow. Today we know that one in 500 people die from ALS. It is estimated that as many as 30,000 people in this country suffer from the disease a year.
Mark F. Kessenich Jr.’s three children (Paul Kessenich and Mark F. Kessenich, III of New York and Barbara Kessenich Robertson of South Carolina) organized this event to raise funds for the Kessenich Center as well as to honor and celebrate their father’s life.
Edwin McCain generously took time out of his busy “Lost In America” tour to perform live for the crowd of 140 people, all long-time friends and supporters of the Kessenich Family MDA/ALS Center. Edwin has his own personal connection to the disease as his sound Manager’s brother died from ALS last year. His hits Gramercy Park Hotel, Black and Blue, I’ll be, Solitude, Ghosts of Jackson Square, and others were crowd favorites. People were blown away by his powerful performance and his special rendition of Could Not Ask For More and Prayer To St. Peter. Edwin made the event incredibly unique and successful.
Event Highlights:
There were no silent or live auctions and participation levels were $1,000 to play, $2,500 to be a tee Sponsor, and $5,000 to be a Tournament Sponsor.
Champions of the first “Kess ALS Cup” were Mark Kessenich’s longtime friends Richard F. Chapdelaine (“Chappy”), Gedale Horowitz, Richard Leach, and Bob Tighe. Low Individual gross winner was Mark Thompson with a score of 68. Kurt Dillmeier was winner of low individual net with a score of 68. Chappy was also the winner of the Long Drive contest.
For further information on gift opportunities for the Kessenich Family MDA/ALS Center, please contact Rebecca Rawson, Ph.D. senior director of development for the neurosciences at 305-243-6256.