Popular Summer Event Helps Bring Comfort to Hospitalized Kids

The Ten Ugly Men Festival, which will take place Saturday, July 24, at Genesee Valley Park, is well-known as the hottest party of the summer with all kinds of sporting events, from old favorites like dodgeball and volleyball to new events like KanJam and Corn Hole, along with great musical performances and plenty of food and drinks to go around.

While event organizers work hard to ensure a good time for everyone, their ultimate objective is fulfilled long after the party has come to an end. The Uglies help fund Golisano Children’s Hospital’s pediatric palliative care program, a valuable service that brings warmth and solace to children treated at the University of Rochester Medical Center’s children’s hospital. Funds from the Ten Ugly Men Festival also help the Golisano Children’s Hospital’s brain tumor clinic, as well as many other non-profit organizations in the Rochester area community.

Golisano Children’s Hospital’s pediatric palliative care team, or Pediatric Supportive Care Team, is made up of subspecialists who focus on treating children with long-term health conditions emotionally and psychologically as well as physically. David Korones, M.D., pediatric oncologist at Golisano Children’s Hospital and member of the palliative care team, explained that palliative care really means keeping kids comfortable no matter where they are in the course of treating their disease.

“Palliative care is all about working with families to set goals for care and courses of treatment early rather than waiting until families are in the midst of a crisis to choose treatment options,” said Korones.

Thanks to the help of Ten Ugly Men Festival organizers and attendees, this program receives some much-needed funding to provide support to families seeking comfort and support for their child. Funds raised from the festival have helped bring in Peg DeBase, a part-time bereavement counselor, who helps families and staff cope with the loss of a child and provides emotional support for families long after they’ve left the hospital.

Visit a local Wegmans location or visit www.tenuglymen.com to order general admission tickets to this year’s festival, which are $30 in advance for adults, $10 for adolescents ages 13 to 20 and free for children younger than 12. Registration for sporting events is only available online at www.tenuglymen.com. VIP tickets are $125 and are available via Ticketmaster. If you would like to sign up to volunteer and get free admission to the event, visit http://bit.ly/HelpTUM.