More than Art: Therapy, Healing, Purpose
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A Celebratory Drink by Roger Daltrey Himself
The Story Behind “Cuvée Roger Daltrey” – The Official Champagne of Rock and Roll
Over lunch with his son Jamie and friend Jerome Jacober, rock star Roger Daltrey mused on his life in The Who and how long the band had been active. At the time it had been about 50 years. The three men agreed that was something to celebrate. Jerome, the CEO and Founder of Eminent Wines, could even bring a special Champagne to life to toast this amazing achievement. The Roger decided the aesthetics of the line should honor “Tommy.” This was a project made at a time in his life when he could not have imagined he’d be–five decades later–touring, releasing music, an icon in rock and roll history, and the Co-Founder of an American cancer charity for teens and young adults. As with many of Roger’s projects, the question, “how can we use this to support the charity?” was top of mind from the start. “A few years ago, Jerome Jacober from Eminent Wines generously offered to create a limited Cuvée to celebrate 50 years of the success of The Who. On agreeing to this I insisted that it achieved three things: that it should be a great Cuvée, that somehow the bottle clearly celebrated the band, and lastly, we raise awareness and funds for Teen Cancer America.” – Roger Daltrey. It is a festive drink born during a festive time in Daltrey’s life, and a portion of all proceeds go directly to Teen Cancer America. Eminent Wines also donates bottles of the Champagne and its uniquely designed, limited glasses and tubs to TCA events, auctions, raffles, and more. It is a premium Champagne which Roger tasted and helped develop over three years alongside Jerome and Eminent Wines. Purchasing a bottle and its accessories is purchasing artfully designed pieces, infused with the soul of rock music. When you taste the drink, your spirit is sipping alongside Daltrey and toasting to The Who.
Teen Cancer America Announces ‘The Majesty of Rock’ – An All-Star Spinal Tap Tribute Album to Benefit Young People with Cancer
LOS ANGELES – Teen Cancer America, the national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer, today announced the release of a monumental tribute album, “The Majesty of Rock,” celebrating the legendary mock-rock band Spinal Tap. This officially sanctioned digital album features 32 iconic songs from the Spinal Tap catalog, covered by a diverse and star-studded lineup of acclaimed artists.
Produced by journalist and podcaster Marc Shea, the album boasts an incredible roster of talent, with songs submitted by members of Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Tool, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Go-Go’s, Mastodon, System Of A Down, Soul Asylum, The Handsome Family, Kyuss, Failure, Vixen, Foreigner, and the Smoking Popes. The collection also features a contribution from the legendary Robyn Hitchcock and a special performance by TCA’s own Play It Back Players.
The album is available for a limited run of 5,000 digital copies, obtainable through a minimum donation of $19.84 to Teen Cancer America, a nod to the 1984 release of the landmark film, This is Spinal Tap.
The album can be purchased online at www.teencanceramerica.org/product/spinal-tap. This unique fundraising initiative will directly support Teen Cancer America’s mission to provide specialized facilities and programs for adolescents and young adults with cancer in hospitals across the United States.
“The spirit of Spinal Tap has always been about turning it up to 11, and that’s exactly what we aim to do for young people with cancer,” said Shannon Sullivan, Executive Director of Teen Cancer America. “This tribute album is a fun, powerful way to raise crucial funds and awareness for the unique challenges facing this age group. We are incredibly grateful to the brilliant artists who have lent their talents to this project and to the creators of Spinal Tap for allowing us to celebrate their genius for a cause that is so important.”
Simon Davies, Teen Cancer America Board Member and former Executive Director, helped shepherd the project from its inception. “Having worked alongside Marc from the very beginning of this wild idea, seeing ‘The Majesty of Rock’ come to life is incredibly rewarding and the perfect grace note to my time leading the organization,” said Davies. “This project captures the heart of what we’ve always tried to do at TCA: bring joy and a bit of rock and roll rebellion to the serious fight against cancer. I am so proud of this album and couldn’t be happier to see it launch as I transition to my role on the board.”
The double album grew from a humble beginning into a massive undertaking, fueled by passion for both the music and the cause.
“The entire project started with a simple conversation on a podcast,” said Shea, producer and host of Performance Anxiety on Pantheon Podcasts. “Three and a half years later, we have a double album to honor the musical and comedic legacy of Spinal Tap, the band that gave us ‘going to 11’ as well as raising awareness for spontaneous combustion. I can’t thank the contributors or TCA enough for their support.”
In true Spinal Tap style, a sleeve note by the recently knighted Sir Roger Daltrey CBE, the co-founder with Pete Townshend of Teen Cancer America, said “Marc who? Never heard of him. But if he’s doing this for young people with cancer then he must be the real deal!”
The limited-edition digital album is available for download on the Teen Cancer America website. The minimum donation of $19.84 offers fans a chance to own a piece of rock and roll history while making a significant difference in the lives of young cancer patients.
Supper Club with Renowned Chef Carole Peck
TCA Board Members Maria Taylor and Dr. Glenn Taylor are hosting another annual event alongside Chris Sferruzzo in Woodbury, CT on Saturday November 1st, 2025. The event will feature a delicious dinner by Chef Carole Peck, as well as cocktails and entertainment. All proceeds will benefit Teen Cancer America. Carole Peck is a renowned chef and restauranteur, known as the original farm-to-table pioneer.
This year’s event sold out in record time, but sponsorships are available. Sponsor or make a donation at
Contact michelle@teencanceramerica.org for additional opportunities, including an in-kind donation of a good or service for the auction.
Mental Health Awareness: “In Every Story, There’s Strength”
By Catherine Swift, MSW, LCSW, TCA Care Delivery Strategist
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month is a belief close to the heart of the Teen Cancer America community. The AYAs who share their experiences with us on stage at events, through Play It Back songs, and as national advocates prove over and over again that sharing stories leads to change. This May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) encourages us all to increase mental health awareness through stories of resilience.
As an AYA clinical social worker prior to joining the TCA team, hearing the stories of young people with cancer was a privilege. In sharing their stories of struggling with anxiety, PTSD, depression, and distress during and after treatment, they were constantly teaching me how to better care for them and others in their shoes.
James* was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia at 19, right before he planned to go to college. I met him on his second day in the hospital, and though he was the type to never complain, it was clear this major change was overwhelming to him. During the months he spent in the hospital for treatment and for a bone marrow transplant, we talked for hours about Marvel movies, the strangeness of losing his hair, and his worries about how his family was coping. For the most part, James felt like he was handling things okay emotionally.
I got a call from James several months after his successful transplant. His team was happy with his complete remission and expected him to continue to recover fully. James, however, was finding himself staying up all night worrying that his cancer was returning. He spent the days pacing around the house or shutting himself in his room, unable to focus on reading or cooking or anything he enjoyed.
His older sister called me too – she had tried everything, along with his treatment team, to reassure him that he was still in a great remission. Nothing seemed to work. She worried his fears were spiraling out of control and impacting his ability to get his life “back on track” after treatment.
James, like so many cancer survivors, was struggling with treatment-related PTSD. I always informed my newly diagnosed patients that the mental and emotional side effects of cancer treatment, like anxiety and depression, are just as common as physical ones like nausea and fatigue. James was one of the many patients who taught me that this reality extends beyond treatment – patients can have chronic treatment-related mental health disorders just as frequently as they have chronic treatment-related physical issues like infertility and heart failure.
For AYAs especially, the mental health burden of a cancer survivorship is massive. Studies have shown that 1 in 3 AYA cancer survivors deal with psychological distress and anxiety, and 1 in 4 deal with depression**. These rates are higher than for older cancer survivors or for other AYAs without a cancer history.
Fortunately, James and his family felt empowered to speak up about his struggles, which allowed me to get him the help he needed. I was able to offer him focused, AYA survivorship-specific psychotherapy, thanks in part to TCA’s support of his hospital’s AYA program. Through therapy he was able to identify exactly what he needed to cope with the trauma of cancer, and has gone on to enroll in college, explore his interest in sci-fi writing, and build a supportive network of friends – within and beyond the AYA cancer community.
For this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month, I’ll be remembering the many powerful stories that taught me the importance of investing in the mental health of AYA cancer survivors. If you have a story of struggling and thriving through mental health challenges, I encourage you to consider sharing it. In every story, there’s strength.
*Name has been changed for confidentiality.
**Osmani, V., Hörner, L., Klug, S. J., & Tanaka, L. F. (2023). Prevalence and risk of psychological distress, anxiety and depression in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer medicine, 12(17), 18354–18367.
Shannon Sullivan to Lead Teen Cancer America
Shannon Sullivan has been named Chief Executive Officer for Teen Cancer America, the national non-profit founded by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who, following the retirement of Executive Director Simon Davies.
Davies spent 25 years at the helm of The Who’s charities for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer, including 13 years with Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK before helping to establish TCA in the U.S. in 2012. The [London} native was instrumental in the growth and success of both organizations, developing “first in the world” facilities and programs for young people with cancer across Great Britain, then adapting the model for the U.S.
With TCA Chairman Rebecca Rothstein leading an accomplished Board of Directors and Davies directing a small, highly professional team in Los Angeles, the non-profit raised over $40 million. Today, there are 65 hospitals in the U.S. with specialized AYA programs that TCA has helped to fund and build. As Davies steps away from active duties as director, he will remain involved in the role of Executive Advisor.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished at Teen Cancer America,” said Davies. “It has been an honor to work alongside so many passionate and dedicated individuals who share a commitment to the TCA mission. We will always be indebted to Roger and Pete for their vision and unwavering support, and I’m confident that TCA will continue to thrive under Shannon’s leadership.”
Rothstein credited Davies’ stewardship with taking TCA closer to Daltrey and Townshend’s dream of full coverage for young people with cancer in the U.S. “When Roger first asked me to establish TCA, I had no idea that we could achieve so much in just over a decade,” Rothstein said. “Now, with Shannon to take us to the next level, I’m very excited at the prospect of continuing to grow our impact nationwide.”
Sullivan is a seasoned nonprofit executive who previously served as Vice President of Revenue Strategy at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the world’s leading blood cancer organization. Her career includes leadership roles with Safe Kids Worldwide, the Parkinson Foundation, and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure.
“I am deeply grateful for everything Simon accomplished at TCA,” said Daltrey. “With Shannon receiving the baton, we are poised to ensure that every young person with cancer in America has access to the treatment, programs and facilities they deserve, and we won’t stop until we get there.”
June 2022
Metedeconk National Golf Club to HOST: Teen Cancer America Golf Outing
Day of Golf to Raise Funds and Awareness for Adolescents and Young Adults Affected by Cancer
JACKSON, NJ (October 4, 2021) – Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson, NJ will host the inaugural Teen Cancer America (TCA) Golf Outing on Monday, October 18, 2021. TCA, founded by rock icons Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who, is a national non-profit based in Los Angeles that develops and funds specialized facilities and services for adolescents and young adults with cancer.
The event at Metedeconk National is being hosted by Bob Lerner, a Metedeconk Trustee. Bob’s brother, Golf Channel personality Rich Lerner, will be a featured guest along with Val Skinner, a six-time LPGA champion and member of the 1996 winning US Solheim Cup team. Both Rich and Val are also members at Metedeconk. Other special guests expected to attend include former New York Giants star Rodney Hampton, actor Joseph R. Gannascoli (The Sopranos), rocker Simon Kirke from Bad Company, Broadway and film star Donnie Kehr, Philadelphia Eagles broadcasting legend Merrill Reese, Ken Freirich and his band MedROCK, and other sports and entertainment celebrities.
Metedeconk is a nationally prominent private golf club. The course enhances and preserves the natural beauty of the rolling terrain, thick forests, quiet marshes and abundant wildlife in central New Jersey. The membership is dedicated to an experience where course conditions, sportsmanship, camaraderie and service are unmatched. Metedeconk was designed by world-renowned golf course architects Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Roger Rulewich.
“It’s quite an honor for me to chair the inaugural Teen Cancer America golf outing at my home club, Metedeconk National,” said Bob Lerner. “This is a very personal cause for me and my family. As the father of a survivor, I understand how important it is to help this underserved group deal with the unique challenges they face during treatment. The level of support we’ve received has been phenomenal, and I want to thank the golf community, business colleagues, friends and my entire family for helping us prepare for a great day.”
The October 18 event includes lunch, a practice session, a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start, cocktails, dinner and some rock ‘n roll. There will be various skills contests, a live auction hosted by Rich Lerner, and other opportunities to win some great prizes.Players can also participate in a golf clinic and par three event hosted by Val Skinner, who is founder of the Val Skinner Foundation which raises funds to eradicate breast cancer.
michelle@teencanceramerica.org or visit www.teencanceramerica.org.
Play It Back
Play It Back is Teen Cancer America’s pilot music program that brings adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors into the music world for them to write, produce, and express themselves through the process of recording songs. The Play It Back program features several young adult patient artists as they embark on a journey of creation and building community.
In addition to creating their own songs, the young artists commune with music industry heavyweights such as: Benny Blanco, Portugal. The Man, and Mike Posner. Along with their peers, these artists share their experiences with music while gaining inspiration from others.
With the initial support from the Wands Burns family, in memory of their musician son Jeffery and more recent funding from the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Charity, the Play it Back program was officially born. Jian Mehta, a talented young man diagnosed with Leukemia, was the first artist featured in this program.
Jian was an extraordinarily gifted singer, songwriter, and music producer whose artistic vision and output grew by leaps and bounds while working in this program. Being the first artist to join the Play It Back roster, Jian and his beautiful music will be released later this year with contributions from Benny Blanco, Portugal. The Man., and many others. With every note, we hope to honor Jian’s memory by inspiring countless other young people to express and uplift themselves through making music. Your gift to the Play It Back music program in Jian’s memory will allow this program to become a regular and official offering on the Teen Cancer America roster. Because of amazing young people like Jian, TCA hopes to continue to grow the program and share the opportunity and positive effect it has had on other young people impacted by cancer around the country. Currently, Play It Back is working with five new young adult patient artists.Patrick
Patrick credits setting goals and making promises to himself as helpful tools in his treatment and recovery process. Take a look at his video as he explains that every gesture of kindness and acknowledgement means the world to someone battling cancer.