GRAFTON - The Loading Dock welcomed a huge crowed Sunday afternoon as tons of people came out for Theresa's Summerfest.
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This year's Summerfest was much more than raising awareness and research funding for metastatic breast cancer through Theresa's Research Foundation, but to also to celebrate Theresa's life and what would have been her 50th birthday.
Theresa's son and Executive Director of the foundation, Josh Newby, said they couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate.
"It's been great. We're just so blessed with this weather," Newby said. "If this would have been last week we would have had to cancel. It was 104 and then with the storm, so I just feel really blessed with this weather to have people come out. Ticket sales just soared this week once they saw the weather. We had to have the event in July because my mom's birthday is July 1st."
Linda Morrissey, Theresa's sister and Board President of the foundation, said while the day was a celebration of Theresa there are so many more women who can benefit from the cause.
"We just decided, Josh mainly decided, that he wanted to have a celebration in honor of his mother for her 50th birthday," Morrissey said. "At the same time we want to raise money for metastatic breast cancer so more women can have birthdays."
Morrissey said the foundation has growing tremendously over the years.
"The foundation is growing and growing and growing," Morrissey said. "I'm in awe as to how far we've taken it. We are the only organization in the world that is doing conferences on metastatic breast cancer. That's the biggest thing and the most important because that's research. It brings doctors, oncologist and researchers together from all over the world."
Summerfest isn't the only thing that Theresa's Research Foundation has in the works. Newby said there's a lot more coming up in October during breast cancer awareness month.
"On October 13th, it's national metastatic breast cancer day," Newby said. "So we'll be doing stuff in the community on that day and then throughout the month we'll be doing stuff with different high schools and community groups to help raise awareness."
Newby said it's great and Wood River High School has raised hundreds of dollars through a volleyball games over the past three years. He said they'll be working with several high schools in the area to help raise awareness in October.
"What we're really trying to do is create awareness," Newby said. "We want to raise as much money as possible but the most important thing is to raise awareness about cancer research. So many people just aren't aware of it and how important it is."
