Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Kats’ 50th birthday soiree Feb. 28 is fundraiser for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

Elann Saula Family

Mona Shield Payne

Three-year-old Elann Saula poses with his family, left to right, Leslie, Sami, Kinalone and dog Gadji, at his home in Las Vegas.

Elann Saula

Three-year-old Elann Saula sits in the reception area awaiting connection treatment for lymphangiectasia, a rare disease centered in his intestines, at Children's Specialty Center of Nevada in Las Vegas Thursday, January 8, 2015.  Elann is the son of Launch slideshow »

2015 St. Baldrick’s Day at Vinyl

2015 St. Baldrick’s Day with Chris Kael at Vinyl on Saturday, March 7, 2015, in Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas. Launch slideshow »

We’re using the event of my 50th birthday to have a bash worthy of that demarcation and also to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which funds childhood cancer treatment and research. My partners in this charitable endeavor are Sami and Leslie Saula and their young son, Elann. Sami is a multi-instrumentalist and artist in “Ka” at MGM Grand.

The party is set for 9 p.m. Sunday at the Copa Room at Tuscany Suites & Casino as a special installment of Kenny Davidsen’s “Playlists” performances, the hotel’s monthly music showcase that focuses on a different music theme for every show. The party is free and open to the public.

The music for this bash is all from 1966, the year in which I was born, and the host is one of my favorites, Jassen Allen. Scheduled performances are to be delivered by Travis Cloer of “Jersey Boys,” Rob Lyons of “Million Dollar Quartet,” Melody Sweets of “Absinthe,” Anne Martinez of “Alice — A Steampunk Concert Fantasy,” Paul Shortino and Stephanie Calvert of “Raiding the Rock Vault,” Skye Dee Miles of the Cosmopolitan’s Rose. Rabbit. Lie., Rockie Brown, Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie, Jamie Hosmer of Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns and many more.

Like, many.

Instead of presenting a gift for someone who wants for nothing, please make a contribution to St. Baldrick’s on Elann’s donation page here. (That’s StBaldricks.org and search “Elann S.”) For details on the party and how to RSVP, hit the Facebook listing.

Elann just turned age 5 and suffers from a rare combination of multi-autoimmune diseases that weaken his ability to combat illnesses. He receives regular treatments to arrest his condition at Children’s Specialty Center of Nevada, the only nonprofit pediatric cancer outpatient treatment facility in the state.

The center is funded in large part by money raised during the annual St. Baldrick’s Day head-shaving fundraisers in Las Vegas. This year, I am shaving Elann’s head March 5 at 12:30 p.m. during the St. Baldrick’s fundraising event at McMullan’s Irish Pub.

A year ago, Elann (with help from Leslie) shaved my head at the event at Brooklyn Bowl. As I said that day, “I will get my revenge.”

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

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