Holiday Concert Fundraiser a Success!
The Christmas in the City fundraiser was held on Monday, December 12th, 2022, at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis. The one-night-only holiday concert raised a total of $5,605 for multiple myeloma research at the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and was dedicated to pianist and recording artist Mary Beth Carlson.
In the summer of 2022, John Trones, a musician, actor, writer, and Director of Creative Services for The National Theatre for Children, had an idea. He set out to produce a holiday concert in December, where the proceeds would go to myeloma research and assistance for affected families. Upon searching for an organization to be the fundraiser’s benefactor, he came across the IMF and reached out.
For John, choosing the International Myeloma Foundation as a benefactor was an easy decision. His sister Debbie was diagnosed with multiple myeloma over 25 years ago – and after treatment including a stem cell transplant, she has been in remission ever since. John’s family was grateful for her good health and rejoiced in their newfound ability to put myeloma-related worries aside.
Then, in the summer of 2020, John’s oldest sister Mary Beth was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of multiple myeloma.
After immediately starting treatment and later, undergoing a successful stem cell transplant, Mary Beth passed away from treatment complications at the Mayo Clinic on May 22nd, 2021, after almost four and a half months there. John describes her last months as an “up-and-down rollercoaster ride, spent praying for a miracle.”
Mary Beth herself was a musician, recording a total of 29 albums and performing in hundreds of concerts over the span of 27 years. Throughout the decades she was always writing for a cause, performing for children's cancer research, the Special Olympics, and a wealth of other charitable causes. To pay homage, John knew the best way to fundraise on her behalf was with a concert. Luckily, he could count on his frequent touring partner, Grammy-nominated pianist, and song-writer Jim Brickman to join him in raising money for the cause. To fit the theme of family, Kimberly, John’s niece – and Mary Beth’s daughter – even joined the duo onstage to perform a dedicated song.
“One of my favorite moments from the show was a duet with my sister’s daughter, my niece Kimberly,” shared John. “She has a beautiful voice but does not perform often. However, she specifically asked me if she could join me on stage and perform a song for her mother. We shared Jim Brickman’s new song, “Christmases Together”, and it was the perfect song to bring it all back to my sister, her mother, Mary Beth – who we had lost the year before.”
The Christmas in the City fundraiser concert was a smashing success. Held at the beautiful Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, John’s stunning vocals and Jim’s award-winning piano skills delivered a performance for the ages. Besides the duo’s showmanship, John credits the event’s popularity to his support system, including the artists joining him onstage and family and friends helping behind the scenes – many of whom have or had loved ones dealing with multiple myeloma.
For John, finding a cure for multiple myeloma is a dream close to his heart. “I know my sister Mary Beth would rejoice with us on that day,” he told the IMF. “Curing myeloma would mean others could be spared the loss of a sister, brother, mother, father, partner, or friend to this disease.”
Want to start your own fundraiser?
The IMF is always looking for inspiring people like John, Jim, and their team to host fundraisers and help fulfill its mission: improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure. Whether you opt for a holiday concert or a bake sale, the IMF will be with you every step of the way.
For more information about getting started, visit the IMF Fundraiser page.