Blast of Hope concert a rousing success

On February 4, a special concert called A Blast of Hope was held at the McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at Mohawk College. The event was organized to celebrate the life and legacy of Ingrid Watermann, who passed away on January 6, 2024 after a battle with glioblastoma (GBM). The concert featured Michael Kaeshammer, a renowned jazz and boogie woogie pianist who has performed on various stages in Europe and North America for decades. He delighted the audience with his virtuoso piano skills and charismatic vocals.

The concert aimed to raise funds for glioblastoma research for Dr. Sheila Singh’s Lab at the CDCR and the Cindy Lee Graham Memorial Award, which is a scholarship for students who want to pursue careers in neuroscience and oncology. The award is named in honor of Cindy Lee Graham, another glioblastoma fighter who passed away in 2020.

The Deputy Mayor of Hamilton, Councillor of Ward 15 (Flamborough-Waterdown-Carlisle) Ted McMeekin, presented Dr. Sheila Singh with a Certificate of Recognition from the Mayor’s office for her groundbreaking GBM research. During the event, the Master of Ceremonies recognized and applauded the members of the Singh Lab for their work.

We would like to express our appreciation to all the attendees, sponsors, silent auction donors, and everyone who promoted and worked at the event. Fundraising initiatives like A Blast of Hope help support groundbreaking research that typical grants do not allow. We cannot thank you enough, and we hope that with your support, we can find better treatment options for people with GBM