Orlando Pinstriped Post Photo / Bruce Maddox

View full size photo »

hope (n.) - a wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment

This evening, Orlando Magic forward Matt Barnes will host the 2010 Mardi Gras Ball Blue Carpet Event at Blue Martini to benefit the Matt Barnes Foundation and the Florida Hospital for Children Cancer Institute. Here's Barnes on the event, in his own words:

It's my cancer foundation. I lost my mom to cancer in 2007, and since then I've really been on a mission to really spread the word, raise awareness for cancer research and cancer prevention. So [tonight] from 6 [P.M.] to 9 at Blue Martini we're having my charity dinner. So people should feel free to come out and support [us.]

To learn more about the event, which is for guest aged 21 and older, and about Matt's foundation, view the flyer by clicking here. Barnes' foundation's website is at www.athletesvscancer.com, and is on Twitter @athletesvcancer

Barnes wears a red rubberband bearing his mother's name on his left wrist for every Magic game. It hung alone on a hook in his locker just behind him as he spoke about the event, which seemed appropriate and meaningful to me. As someone whose family has long battled various forms of cancer, Barnes' work here particularly stood out to me, which is why I'm passing this information along to you. Forgive me if this message seems preachy or irrelevant to you.