Verma Foundation Casino Night

On Friday, April 5th, 2019, Spin350 client, the Verma Foundation hosted their first annual Casino Night at West End Johnnies in downtown Boston. The event was a star-studded evening that raised $33,000+ to help patients battling cancer.

The Verma Foundation was co-founded by NBC Boston news anchor Natasha Verma, who is a Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer survivor. After she and her family started the Verma Foundation, they immediately began to work on improving the quality of life for other patients undergoing chemotherapy. Women battling cancer find hair loss to be one of the most devastating side effect of chemotherapy. Most wigs are ill-fitting, itchy and expensive, so the Verma Foundation offers the ideal solution – a cap attached to 100% human hair. They are committed to helping people battling cancer maintain a sense of normalcy, dignity and privacy during treatment.

Event Overview

The event, which filled the lower level of West End Johnnies felt like a speakeasy casino and the setting was perfect. There were multiple card games to choose from, and celebrity dealers Ken Casey (Dropkick Murphys), Duron Harmon (New England Patriots) and Troy Brown (New England Patriots) held down their tables while having a great time with the crowd. Natasha put together a team of 12 volunteer ambassadors which are all cancer survivors and recipients of a cap wig during treatment. The ambassadors did a great job working the room, building awareness about the brand and encouraging guests to bid on the huge variety of auction items that ranged from a signed Rob Gronkowski football to a V.I.P. package from Lombardo’s nightclub and everything in between. Steve DiFillippo, restaurateur & owner of the Davio’s Restaurant Group was on-site cooking up amazing small plates which included gnocchi & bolognese that was out of this world!

In addition to Natasha, Ken, Duron and Troy the room was full of local celebrities and personalities including Gary Brode (Reporter at WBZ-TV), Greg Hill (Host of The Hill-Man Morning Show on WAAF 107.3), Latoyia Edwards (Emmy Award-winning Anchor on NBC 10 Boston and NECN), Jackie Layer (WHDH 7News), TJ Taormina (Host The TJ Show on 103.3 AMP Radio).

Stay tuned for the Verma Foundation’s next big fundraiser, The Cap Walk this coming September and make sure to check out the foundation at their website and on Insta
The Verma Foundation is a national registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to giving high-quality cap wigs to cancer patients suffering from hair loss. The Verma Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. The 5 family members: Dr. Omesh, Shama, Natasha, Manisha and Akshay Verma created the foundation out of love in 2013 to help, inspire, empower and give hope to those who are suffering. Their most recent “Put a Cap On Cancer” project best exemplifies our mission to lift others. Spin350 is Boston design studio recognized as a top Massachusetts Web Design Company on DesignRush.

Natasha Verma & West End Johnnies Owner, John Caron

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Jackie Layer of WHDH 7News

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Joe Lyons, Spin350 Creative Director & Natasha Verma

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Ken Casey, Bass Guitarist and Lead Singer of the Dropkick Murphys

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Joe Lyons from Spin350, Gary Brode from WBZ-TV and Bill Alfano from Pan-Mass Challenge

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Latoyia Edwards, Emmy Award-winning Anchor on NBC 10 Boston and NECN with a Verma Foundation Ambassador

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Duron Harmon, New England Patriot and 3X Superbowl Champ

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Shama Verma, Co-founder of the Verma Foundation & Steve DiFillippo, Restaurateur & Owner of the Davio’s Restaurant Group

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Troy Brown, Former New England Patriot and 3X Superbowl Champ & Natasha Verma

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Natasha Verma & TJ Taormina, Host The TJ Show on 103.3 AMP Radio

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Greg Hill, Host of The “Greg Hill Show” on WEEI Sport Radio

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky

Natasha Verma with her Ambassadors

Photo by Russ Mezikofsky