My incredible illustrator friend Paul Mirocha has a most wonderful wife and the most adorable little son you can imagine. They have had gone through the most heartbreaking few months that one could imagine. Just a few days after Leo was born, Christina had a stroke and she is in the process of recovery.
Paul is in the process of collecting art, services, and merchandise for a fundraising event and silent auction. The proceeds will be help pay for Christina's physical therapy. Incredibly, Christina's insurance has already stopped paying for her therapies. She will have to pay full costs until her insurance will start again next January 2011.
If you are in the Tucson area in October, please try to come to the fund raiser. Also, if you can, donate something, anything, to the silent auction. I'm donating some art and will be coming to the fundraiser as well. Here is more information about the event and also a little back story of what happened to Christina.
photo by Jody Crouthamel
TANGO FOR LEO
A Benefit for Leo Robinson Mirocha & Christina Robinson
Sunday, October 24th, 2-9pm
at Casa Marita at the new Mercado de San Agustin
(100 S. Avenida del Convent at West Congress)
To all my illustrator friends out there, please donate a piece of your artwork to the silent auction. Here is more information about it:
Silent Auction
Live Music!
Nancy McCallion with Catherine Zavala
Leila Lopez
Combo Combo with Gary Mackender
Mitzi Cowell & the Valiants
Doug Shelton & Paul Sheldon
Púca
Mandophilia
Dance Performances!
Belly Dance
Flamenco
Hip Hop
Celtic Step dancing
Tango
End the evening with a tango lesson and open tango dance
Suggested donation:
General Admission: $35 (includes tapas bar and paella from 3:30 until the food runs out, as well as all performances)
Formal sit-down Dinner of Spanish/Argentine cuisine by Chef Vicente, 4:30-6pm, $60 (includes everything else as wel)
Cash bar.
to reserve tickets and more info: tangoforleo@gmail.com or call: 520-903-4613
Contributions are tax deductible and administered by Rollin for Niños, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping Tucson's children. Checks may be made out to "Rollin for Niños"with "Tango for Leo" in the memo line, and sent to: 1926 E. Fort Lowell Road, Tucson, AZ 85719.
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Here is a little more background information written by Paul Mirocha about what the family has been through for the past few month.
Christina and Leo's Story
Christina Robinson has spent her life teaching and taking care of children’s needs. Now it’s time for our community to help take care of her.
A multicultural English literature teacher at a charter high school for underprivileged barrio kids in Tucson, Christina entered the hospital and gave birth to her first child Leo Robinson Mirocha, a beautiful baby boy, on May 5 at 2:12 a.m. Just four days later, she suffered a massive right-brain hemorrhagic stroke, which has paralyzed the left side of her body and left her with devastating physical limitations.
Christina showed extraordinary strength after the tragedy and has made great strides during her recovery. She continues weekly therapy sessions, striving to regain her mobility. She was told by doctors and nurses that she was one of the most motivated patients they had ever seen.
Christina says: “I already appreciated what I have been given, but this ordeal makes me realize what we all tend to take for granted—how much energy it takes just to eat or to walk or to hold a baby.
And besides physical limitations, I now have cognitive limitations that cause me to literally see the world in a different way—I have blind spots in both my eyes.
“But the best gift that could come from all of this is Leo. At least I have a happy, healthy baby. I couldn’t have made it this far without my husband and Leo being my motivation—and all my family and friends.”
Christina has faith and hope that she’ll recover use of her left hand. She dreams of being able to pick Leo up, change his diapers, or simply make him a bottle. She also looks forward to the day when she will walk down a beach or dance tango with her husband Paul Mirocha once again.
If you want to help make this happen—and if you like to tango yourself—come dance, eat, and be entertained at Tango for Leo, a benefit party for Christina and Leo on Sunday, October 24, at 2 p.m. Leo and Christina’s family and friends are hosting a fundraiser to help pay for past and future medical expenses.
The day-long event will include live music, dancing, professional dance performances, and delicious South American and Spanish cuisine. Tango for Leo will be held at the newly opened Casa Marita, located at 100 S. Avenida del Convento, Tucson, AZ 85745.
The suggested donation for a general-admission ticket is $35, which includes tapas. For $60, attendees may take pleasure in a sit-down dinner that includes a glass of wine and performances.
The fundraiser will feature a silent auction with donations provided by local businesses, as well as a full cash bar.
Tickets can be purchased by emailing tangoforleo@gmail.com or by calling (520) 903-4613. For more information, please visit our Facebook Page. Facebook search: Tango for Leo, or click facebook link below.
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