Bill Cosby and Toni Braxton Headline Concert for Autism Speaks

Bill Cosby and Toni Braxton Headline Concert for Autism Speaks April 9 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center

Tom Brokaw Emcees a Night of Comedy and Music to Raise Funds for Autism Awareness and Scientific Research


Legendary entertainer Bill Cosby and six-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Toni Braxton will headline a star-filled night of comedy and music at the Concert for Autism Speaks on April 9 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, in New York City. NBC News' Tom Brokaw will serve as the master of ceremonies for the fundraiser for Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research .

“Autism is a disorder that is robbing families of the chance to fulfill their dreams and experience the everyday joys most of us take for granted,” said Cosby. "For example, many children with autism are very limited in their ability to develop warm relationships with others, including their parents. We all need to do our part so that, with our help, these families will finally get the answers they so desperately seek.”

“When autism became a part of my family's reality, I was determined to join Autism Speaks
in its battle against this devastating disorder that is impacting thousands of families," said Braxton, who is currently headlining in a long-term engagement at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The mother of two children, one of whom has autism, went on to say, “So much progress is being made on all fronts – from the laboratory to Capitol Hill -- but all of us must continue to fight until we have found the cause and a cure for autism.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Bill and Toni for lending their remarkable talents to us for what promises to be a memorable evening,” said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. “With the recent passage of the Combating Autism Act, the future is far brighter for every individual and family affected by autism. However, the need to raise funds for awareness, treatment and research is as urgent as ever.”

Ticket information for the Concert for Autism Speaks will be made available in the coming weeks at www.autismspeaks.org.


[tags : disability epilepsy autism children pediatric neurology]