The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation of America Presents 1st Annual "Love. Give. Life." Park Avenue Fashion Show

Top Fashion Designers Betsey Johnson, Nanette Lepore, Elene Cassis and Others Join to Highlight Importance of Altruistic/Unrelated Living Donors Sponsored by The National Association of Professional Women (NAPW)

New York, New York (Vocus/PRWEB) November 30, 2010

The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation of America celebrate the importance of altruistic/unrelated living organ donors with their first annual fundraiser, “LOVE. GIVE. LIFE.” Park Avenue Fashion Show in New York City on December 2nd at the Audi Forum, sponsored by the National Association of Professional Women. In America, there are over 108,000 people in need of an organ and there are 85,000 people waiting for a kidney with 17 people dying daily, as they wait for a transplant.

The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation was inspired through the three sisters’ efforts to save their father’s life by locating a living, unrelated kidney donor on Craigslist.

Through the sisters’ effort, the first-ever social media-based approach to locate a living donor resulted in their father avoiding the delays often experienced by patients who rely on a national registry -- waiting for kidneys from cadavers while undergoing years of dialysis. This also sparked a whirlwind of media attention, leading to five organ transplants and national support for their effort including such highly respected organizations as the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW).

“NAPW is honored to sponsor The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation’s ‘Love. Give. Life.’ Park Avenue Fashion Show,” says Nicole Zeitzer-Johnson, NAPW’s Director of Communications. “The creativity, innovation, and perseverance of these three professional women reflect the spirit of our membership, capturing the way so many women quietly contribute to society on a daily basis.”

Featured speakers include Kristin Molini, multiple organ transplant survivor who has appeared on The Early Show, and NAPW’s Nicole Zeitzer-Johnson. The event will be hosted by CNN producer, Phil Rosenbaum and health producer, Maria Dorfner.

According to the Flood sisters, Jennifer, Cynthia, and Heather, a donation from a living donor has a greater than 90 percent success-rate for the first year. “A live kidney transplant avoids repetitive dialysis and immeasurably improves the quality of life for the recipient and often for the donor and the donor’s family,” says Jennifer Flood, President and Founder of The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation of America.

“Craigslist began and today still is the place where people help each other with everyday needs – and in the case of The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation these are ‘everyday needs’ that save a life,” says craigslist founder Craig Newmark. “I salute the Flood sisters and all those who embrace our values of ‘treating others as you would want to be treated.”

The 6pm event features both a fashion show by Betsey Johnson, Nanette Lepore, Elene Cassis, and emerging designer Michael Forde – who was Esquire Magazine’s “Best Dressed Man in NY in 2005” as well as a silent auction with music by celebrity DJ, Ani Quinn of 4AM. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be provided by Quintessential Wines and décor will feature exquisite flower arrangements provided by Mar Wilson Designs; with furniture provided by CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway Company. Models will be walking down the runway with Asian-inspired umbrellas provided by Brelli.

The first fifty guests will receive gift bags with gifts by InStyle Magazine, Nicole Miller, Salon Ziba and Bare Escentuals. The evening’s silent auction will feature special gifts from such great names as David Yurman Jewelry, Tory Burch, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ivanka Trump Jewelry, Ellen Fisher, Titleist, Disney, Aspen Sports, Hotel Jerome of Aspen, Co., Trump International Hotel, Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, Co., Scarborough & Tweed, STYX, The Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel, The Museum of American Finance, Wall Street Walks, Build A Bear, Moving Hearts Foundation, The New York Yankees, The New York Mets, The New York Rangers, The New York Knicks and more!

“LOVE. GIVE. LIFE.”

Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.floodsisters.org for $75.00, $95 at the door. For more information about NAPW visit http://www.napw.com. For more information, contact The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation of America at 646-287-2900.

Additional B-Roll Available: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/station/as-seen-on/Online_Kidney_Donation_New_York.html

About The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation
Founded in 2008, the mission of The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation is to inspire people to become living donors and to encourage kidney patients to use non-traditional means of reaching suitable living donors. Through an aggressive program, the foundation is tirelessly spreading the word that a kidney from a living donor is usually a better match than a cadaveric kidney, and reduces the risk of infection.