Day of Polo, Music and Family Fun Benefits Teens and Young Adults Affected by Cancer in Pacific Palisades
British rocker Billy Idol and legendary guitarist Steve Stevens performed an acoustic set at Teen Cancer America’s annual Rock ’N’ Polo charity event on Saturday, June 20, bringing rock-n-roll glamour and excitement to historic Will Rogers Polo Club in Pacific Palisades. Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport kicked off the event by warmly welcoming the Shapiro Family to the stage.
Idol and Stevens were introduced by Los Angeles Lakers legend and TCA supporter Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “It was an honor to be here today in support of Teen Cancer America, an organization that has made a profound difference in the lives of young people facing one of life’s toughest challenges,” he said.
On the polo field, the competition featured a USA versus UK matchup featuring English professional polo player Jamie Morrison, an appropriate tie-in to the British roots of the U.S. charity. Teen Cancer America, the nation’s leading non-profit serving teens and young adults affected by cancer, was founded in Los Angeles in 2012 by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who.
This year’s event, which raised close to $500,000, was dedicated to the memory of Graysen Briggs of Phoenix, Ariz., who was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2023 and passed away a year later, one month shy of his 16th birthday. All polo players and volunteers wore Graysen’s hockey jersey number 93 on their shirt sleeves in his honor.
“Two weeks ago, Grayson would have walked the stage graduating high school with all of his friends and teammates,” said Tammi Shapiro, aunt of Graysen and cohost of the event. “We choose to celebrate those milestones and his beautiful life that was cut short by supporting TCA so that we can help more young people. The dollars we raise are being put toward improving care and outcomes for teens and young adults with cancer, so thank you.”
Michele Briggs, Graysen’s mother, added, “When Graysen was going through treatment, we saw firsthand there was a real disconnect in the care for teens–that the gap between children with cancer and adults with cancer was a real thing. A few months ago, John and I had the opportunity to visit a new TCA program in Phoenix, where we live. We were incredibly inspired by the team’s focus on helping young people and their families navigate cancer. We are so grateful that teens in Phoenix and at a growing number of hospitals across the country now have better options because of Teen Cancer America.”
Rock ’N’ Polo’s top sponsors were the Shapiro Family, First Citizens Bank, Business & Pleasure, and Luna Nueva Tequila. This was the first major charity event held at Will Rogers State Historic Park since the January 2025 Palisades fire. Speaking about the Palisades fires, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remarked, “As many of you know, this community has faced enormous challenges over the past year, whether we’re talking about young people tackling cancer, or the Palisades rebuilding after the devastating fires that touched this area. Today’s gathering is a reminder of the resilience of spirit and the power of coming together to support one another.”
Teen Cancer America and First Citizens Bank proudly joined physicians and staff from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin, and Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee to celebrate the launch of an expanded Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer program.
“This partnership reflects years of hard work, collaboration, and commitment across all three institutions. Building a comprehensive AYA program across multiple healthcare systems is no small task, and the dedication of the teams at Children’s Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital, and the Medical College of Wisconsin has been remarkable to witness,” said Shannon Sullivan, CEO of Teen Cancer America.
First Citizens Bank and Teen Cancer America jointly funded this program, supporting a dedicated AYA Program Coordinator to better meet the unique needs of young people with cancer.
The impact of this investment is already being felt by patients.
“Having a dedicated AYA Program Coordinator, Julia, through the support of the Teen Cancer America grant, has brought strategic direction to our mission of connecting young adults to the critical resources they need, from reproductive health and palliative care to peer support. Through the AYA Patient Advisory Committee, I’ve seen firsthand how these efforts are improving access and making a meaningful difference for patients like me.” — Meg, Patient
“First Citizens Bank is proud to champion the AYA program at Children’s Wisconsin,” said Doug Sprecher, Executive Director of Community Affairs and Sustainability at First Citizens. “Working alongside Teen Cancer America for over a decade, we are committed to advancing care and creating brighter futures for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.”
We are grateful to the teams at Children’s Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital, and the Medical College of Wisconsin for their commitment to advancing high quality cancer care for teens and young adults in Milwaukee and surrounding communities.
The Sound of America musical at FringeArts in Philadelphia is raising funds for Teen Cancer America. This Ben Franklin Rock Musical features the story of a founding father, electrified. This is the untold story of both a nation and its most rebellious art form. Meet Philadelphia’s favorite son–and the New World’s first superstar. An evolving score tracks rock as Ben tracks history. Foot-stomping ditties, emotional duets, and pensive acoustic moments give way to arena-rock anthems, punk grit, and power ballads — all performed live onstage for a fully immersive concert experience.
