By Julia Train
Toast Pink, a Margate-based nonprofit organization, knows that cancer treatment can be a financial burden and wants to help those dealing with the high costs.
The 501(c)(3) will host its annual gala at The Flanders Hotel in Ocean City on Friday, Nov. 8.
Each year, the black tie event has a different theme. Last year’s was “Havana Nights;” this year’s is “Diamonds are Forever.”
The event, which is Toast Pink’s largest of the year, will include a plated dinner, an open bar, music by The Exceptions, an auction and raffle items.
Joe Girallo, a thyroid cancer survivor, will be the guest speaker. He’ll be talking about how it affected him and his family and how his life changed after.
“Not everybody’s as fortunate as I was. I had wonderful benefits,” said Girallo. “I was lucky. I’m a 10-plus year survivor.”
Aria Mazer, one of the nonprofit’s founders, found Girallo through her sister, who cuts his hair.
Girallo found out he was sick during a doctor’s visit after experiencing a sore throat that wouldn’t go away for six months.
“Finally, my endocrinologist one day was feeling around in my throat…when she pressed on my throat very hard, I couldn’t breathe and, at that point, she felt the tumor in my throat,” he said.
Girallo said he rushed himself right to surgery, which was followed by taking a radiological pill instead of chemotherapy because of the location of the tumor.
The thyroid gland is vital for producing hormones. “It plays a major role in the metabolism, growth and development of the human body. It helps to regulate many body functions by constantly releasing a steady amount of thyroid hormones into the bloodstream,” according to the National Library of Medicine.
Mazer and Joseph Orazi co-founded the nonprofit in 2012, fueled by the experiences of people around them. For Mazer, it was her friends who had needed some help. Orazi’s daughter survived cancer.
Now, the 501(c)(3) helps individuals and their families who have unpaid expenses, such as medical, mortgage, rent, utility, insurance, or car bills. The organization even helps with paying for groceries or transportation to treatment.
The nonprofit has a team of 10 volunteers who work to assist its applicants with affording chemotherapy, transportation, housing, durable medical equipment and bridging the gap of uncovered medical expenses.
The process of receiving aid from the nonprofit is simple. First, apply on its website, then there’s a vetting process. Once approved, the charity can then help you.
Since the crew is 100% volunteer, over 80% of the proceeds are sent to the applicants, while the other 20% goes back into the organization to hold fundraisers, Mazer told Shore Local in November 2023.
Besides the dance party and the gala, Mazer also facilitates small-scale events to fundraise in her hair salon, Avant Girl, like giveaways with help from other Margate businesses.
The nonprofit hopes to bring in at least 200 guests to the dance party.
Tickets are $150 and can be purchased at Toast Pink’s website: www.toastpink.org.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
