SAVANNAH --  The 9th annual Sisters on a Journey- Effingham County, the fundraiser to benefit Catie’s Fund of CURE Childhood Cancer, is scheduled Saturday, March 9 from 5:30-10 pm at Honey Ridge Plantation, 477 Honey Ridge Road, Guyton. 

The event is expecting a sell-out crowd of 800 guests and will feature a silent auction, live auction, seated dinner and an inspirational program. Table hostesses create individually-themed tables with colorful décor, and guests sometimes wear themed clothing or costumes to match table decor. The auctions feature vacation homes, travel, art, home décor, shopping sprees, dining, jewelry, sports memorabilia and much more. Presenting sponsors include Memorial Hospital, Coastal Electric and Savannah Toyota.

The creator of the event, Jenny Wilkins, began the event in memory of her daughter Catie, who died after a courageous battle with a rare brain cancer called medulloblastoma. During Catie’s journey, the family learned that Catie’s father’s cousin had passed away from medulloblastoma 15 years prior. The Wilkins family was astounded to learn that the very best medical care Catie was offered was the exact same treatment that her father’s cousin received 15 years prior, and the family decided that they must do something to help improve pediatric cancer treatment.

The Sisters on a Journey events began in Effingham County in 2009 with 100 guests attending. Every year since then, Sisters on a Journey has grown rapidly and now has sell-out events in Savannah, Effingham County, Bryan County and Statesboro. To date, the events have raised a cumulative total of $1.3 million for Catie’s Fund of CURE Childhood Cancer. All proceeds go to Catie’s Fund, a Named Fund of CURE Childhood Cancer to fund its pediatric precision medicine program and research.

“We are so grateful for the Sisters on a Journey events, because at CURE we know that research is the key to achieving significant progress in the fight against childhood cancer,” said Kristin Connor, executive director of CURE. “The critical funds raised by these events help our focus to fund projects aimed at improving outcomes for the 20% of children not surviving today’s methods of treatment. These dinners are an important remembrance of Catie, a little girl we all loved, and a significant legacy created by her mom.”

For more information on the event, please visit https://curechildhoodcancer.org/calendar/sisters-on-a-journey-Effingham County/.