On February 8, 2024, JoyRx celebrated our annual Live From the Heart Benefit Concert in presented by Texas Children’s Austin, raising over $350k in support of JoyRx programs to serve seriously ill children and their families.
This year, our musical guest was Joss Stone, who performed at the iconic in downtown Austin. We are grateful for each of the sponsors, partners, JoyRx Austin Leadership Council and Board of Directors members, attendees, ticket buyers, and volunteers who came together to make this event our most successful Live from the Heart gala and concert to date!
The gala featured a keynote speech from JoyRx Executive Director Grace Holland, who shared the impact of music in Austin and beyond.
“Our mission is to create transformational moments of joy for children fighting serious illness,” said Grace. “No matter how long or how short those children’s lives are. No matter what illness takes away from them. Because despite the heartbreak, there is also inspiration, and laughter, and learning, and childhood still to be had.”
The night also featured a powerful story from Irene Barrow, who shared her experience as a home health nurse to young Randy, one of the first children served by JoyRx music programs in Texas.
“What is so inspiring to me is that these successes are truly Randy’s,” Irene shared. “We, his care team, family, and the music specialists, let him approach this program naturally. We didn’t force the music or participation. We let the music come to him. We let him decide he wanted to participate, to let music into his life, to let his life include this joy. And that, that empowering gift of freedom for Randy to choose to include Joy is what made all the difference.”
The night wrapped up with the main event celebrating the power of music: the live acoustic performance by Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Joss Stone.
Live From the Heart 2024 was made possible, in part, by the support of our Presenting Sponsor, Texas Children’s Hospital.
Additional VIP Sponsors included Wells Fargo and Wind Energy Transmission Texas; Bar Sponsor Tito’s Vodka; and Celebration Sponsors: Texas Mutual, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Hillary Deck – Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty, The Giambelluca Group at Merrill Lynch, Facility Innovations Group, OHT Partners, Bruce Romine, Henna Chevrolet, Bucher Cooper Collins Group, and Pro-Ed.
Check out the photos below and on our social for a look at the joy during the event (photo credit to Sean Mathis):
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