Mardi Gras Celebration to Benefit Hospital

From a Methodist Hospital press release.

Only days are left before Fat Tuesday, but you can still get tickets to Arcadia Methodist Hospital’s 17th annual Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 21 at Sirona’s, Santa Anita Park.

Over 500 local business and community leaders, physicians and community members are expected to attend the festive fundraiser, which will begin at 6 p.m. Guests will enjoy a variety of fun-filled activities, including a parade and silent auction, drinks and dancing, and delicious food prepared by some of San Gabriel Valley's finest restaurants.

More than 20 area eateries are expected to participate, including The Derby, Casa del Rey, Green Street Restaurant, Cabrera's Mexican Cuisine, Matt Denny's and Cafe Massilia.

And it’s all for a very important cause. Proceeds go to the hospital's elite stroke program, which greatly impacts the lives of those afflicted by a stroke as well as their loved ones. Stroke is the leading cause of death and primary cause of adult disability within the United States.

It is imperative to immediately call 911 if someone appears to have stroke symptoms. When the brain can be preserved, the subsequent quality of life for a person afflicted by a stroke can change vastly.

Emergency response teams will take a patient to an approved stroke-receiving center like Methodist Hospital. The certified, interdisciplinary team will give immediate, interventional care, striving to have stroke patients back home, resuming quality of daily life with their loved ones.

The support provided from the Mardi Gras proceeds will help with the expansion of the stroke program at Methodist Hospital. This year’s co-chairs Lindburgh McPherson and Sherri Taylor also chaired the highly successful Mardi Gras 2010.

"We have wonderful entertainment with lots of fun activities – and it's all for a great cause,” McPherson said.

Taylor agreed. "This is such a fun event, and it is important to raise awareness of these vital hospital services,” she said. “It is imperative for members of a community to support any hospital that would assist them in a health emergency, and Mardi Gras is a wonderful way to support Methodist Hospital.”

Last year's Mardi Gras raised an estimated $70,000, and this year's should be an extraordinary event, McPherson added.

Mardi Gras is almost here, so order your tickets today, and laissez les bon temps rouler! Contact Gloria Rico at 626-821-2340 or mardigras@methodisthospital.org.