CHILDREN’S DIABETES FOUNDATION 

Aurora 

News: The 975 guests at the 39^th Carousel Ball knew that the legendary singer-songwriter Neil Diamond would be at this fundraiser for the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes to accept the Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award. What they didn’t know is that he’d make a whole lot of wishes come true by singing his signature “Sweet Caroline.” 

 Diamond, who lives with Parkinson’s Disease, brought the cheering audience to its feet when he finished his thank-you remarks and turned to the fellow sitting next to him on the stage at the Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention center — Nick Fradiani, the Season 15 winner of American Idol and star of Broadway’s “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.” 

Fradiani sang another of Diamond’s many hits, “I Am … I Said.” As he finished, Diamond looked at Fradiani and nodded his head, a signal for Fradiani to strum the first chords of “Sweet Caroline” as they both broke into song. 

The crowd literally went wild. 

Dana Davis, executive director of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, chaired this memorable event that raised $2 million for the Barbara Davis Center. Her mother, Barbara, was the honorary chairman. Barbara Davis had celebrated her 95^th birthday in the days preceding the Carousel Ball and sent video greetings from her home in Los Angeles. 

She addressed Diamond by saying: “My darling friend … it is such an honor to present to you the Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award. Your love and friendship throughout the years have made you such a treasure. Having you and (wife) Katie with us tonight is a gift beyond measure.”  

The video also included congratulatory messages from actor Hugh Jackman and country singer Luke Bryan, who noted that whenever he feels he’s losing his audience at a concert “I always get it back by singing ‘Sweet Caroline.’” Jackman hailed Diamond as “An inspiration, not just through your music, but through your heart.” 

The fun didn’t stop with Diamond’s surprise performance. The evening’s headline entertainment was by the GRAMMY-nominated rock group, the Goo Goo Dolls, whose 75-minute set included several of their biggest hits, such as “Dizzy,” “Slide,” “Iris” and “Black Balloon.” 

Before the Goo Goo Dolls went on, the Bill and Deb MacMillan family accepted the High Hopes Tribute Award for its 27-year history of “unwavering commitment” to the Children’s Diabetes Foundation. They donated items for the auctions that were part of the foundation’s fundraising efforts, made generous financial contributions and introduced new supporters to the Barbara Davis Center.  

They did this, noted award presenter Nate Zettel, despite having no personal connection to diabetes. Until that is, one of their grandchildren, Darius Anderson, was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and became a patient at the Barbara Davis Center. 

 “Everything this family does is done with a whole lot of heart,” Zettel noted. 

Dexcom was the ball’s presenting sponsor, and Jake Leach, the president and chief executive officer, described his company’s commitment to the cause. “We’re not just imagining a world without diabetes, we are building it.” 

Dexcom develops and manufactures continuous glucose monitoring systems that help manage diabetes. Dana Davis calls them “life-changing.” 

“When I was diagnosed at age 7, the life expectation for someone with Type 1 diabetes was just 30 to 40 years and technology was limited to glass syringes and test strips,” she said. 

Which is why income from the Carousel Ball is so important. 

A good portion of the $2 million raised this year came from a live auction and paddle-raise event called by auctioneer Grant Snyder. The six auction items included cases of 7Cellars wine donated by John Elway, getaways to the Rosewood Mayakoba resort in Mexico, the Four Seasons resort in Anguilla, and a stay at Rancho Valencia in San Diego, as well as a gold and diamond necklace donated by Trice Jewelers.  

The paddle-raise kicked off with a $100,000 pledge from Sharon Maffei and continued with a $50,000 donation from an anonymous bidder and other amounts ranging from $25,000 to $250. Stacy and Jeff Robinson (she has Type 1 diabetes) matched each of the 25 donations of $1,000. 

 Since its start, the Carousel Ball has raised over $119 million for the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes. 

About the organization: The Children’s Diabetes Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, which was established in 1977 by Barbara and Marvin Davis after their then-7-year-old daughter, Dana, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. It is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and has a worldwide reputation for the research conducted there and for the compassionate and cutting-edge care it provides for thousands of children and adults with Type 1 diabetes. 

Website: childrensdiabetesfoundation.org 

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