NEW YORK, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Broadway Legend, Kristin Chenoweth, announced she will be performing a benefit concert on Saturday, April 12th at the Helen Mills Theatre in the Flatiron District of New York City. The concert, titled, "Kristin Chenoweth, This One's Personal: A Concert to Stop ACD," is being hosted by the 3 Angels Memorial Fund for ACD Research. Doors open at 6:30pm for the 7:00pm preview show and at 7:30pm for the cocktail party and 9:30pm concert.
The 3 Angels Memorial Fund for ACD Research was founded by Hollywood actress NiCole Robinson and her husband, Craig Snyder, who late last year lived through the intense tragedy of losing a baby boy, Lincoln Snyder, at seven weeks old to a disease called ACD. This is the third child Craig has lost to the disease, making it nothing short of a genetic mystery.
Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia (ACD) is a thought to be rare genetic lung disease that has killed every baby known to be diagnosed with it. Prior to Lincoln's death there were scarcely more than 114 cases documented in medical literature. ACD was believed to be linked to recessive genes found in both parents and Craig and his previous wife's experience of losing two children seemed to confirm this. Years later, Craig and NiCole were married and, after having one healthy daughter, had Lincoln. Lincoln's death has changed what scientists thought they knew about this disease. It now appears that ACD is caused by a dominant gene which only has to be carried by one parent. Therefore, many more children may be dying from ACD and we just don't know it. The only way to diagnose ACD is to put lung tissue under a microscope. Since no autopsy is performed on many infants who die, many cases have certainly been misdiagnosed. The disease is known to strike very quickly and can present what appears to be a "sudden infant death". Lincoln seemed perfectly healthy and then became gravely ill overnight.
Together, NiCole, Craig and friends have turned their attention to creating a foundation and working with doctors to find the genes associated with the ACD disease to try save others from the same heartbreak. In the short time since setting up the foundation after Lincoln's death, doctors have made significant progress and believe that with more work they will be able identify the genes that cause ACD. This is the first step towards early diagnosis and prevention.
Kristin Chenoweth is a close and personal friend of NiCole's from their days together working on The West Wing. She jumped at the opportunity to perform a concert titled, "This One's Personal."
"I was extremely humbled when NiCole asked me if I would be willing to perform a special concert to support the 3 Angles Foundation," said Chenoweth. Losing a child is a heartbreaking experience for any family. Dealing with the loss of three is inconceivable. The ACD disease needs to be talked about, studied and introduced to doctors as a means of them identifying specific cases and working towards treatment and prevention. This has become a very
personal cause to me and I plan to sing my heart out in hopes that the foundation is able to raise enough money to stop ACD."
Several former West Wing actors, including Bradley Whitford, Mary McCormack and Janel Maloney will also be attending the event. Bradley and Mary are preparing to open a new Broadway show titled "Boeing Boeing," which is scheduled to begin previews soon.
For more information and to purchase tickets for the concert, please visit http://www.3AngelsFund.org.
About 3 Angels Memorial Fund for ACD Research
The 3 Angels Memorial Fund for ACD Research is a non-profit organization based in Arlington, VA. The mission of the foundation is to raise awareness for ACD and work with leading doctors and geneticists to study the disease and work towards better diagnosis and prevention. Donations to the foundation are under the 501C3 tax code and are deductible to the fullest extent of the law. To learn more information on the foundation and disease, please visit http://www.3angelsfund.org.
SOURCE 3 Angels Memorial Fund for ACD Research
