Clayton teen organizes benefit concert to fight cancer

Sometimes, a bad thing can lead to good things. And that’s what Haley Morucci realized when, four years ago, a favorite uncle contracted lung cancer.

The prognosis wasn’t good, until the family turned to the Lazarex Cancer Foundation, which helped her uncle get alternative treatment in the Philippines. The treatments “helped Uncle Dan tremendously,” Haley says, “and gave him a few more years with us.”

That prompted Haley, just a middle schooler at the time, to help raise funds for Lazarex any way she could.

This year, the Carondelet graduate is doing that by organizing a grand benefit concert featuring local performers as well as American Idol Top 20 finalist Brianna Oakley — another Carondelet graduate and friend of Haley’s. The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at Clayton’s Endeavor Hall.

Haley is being aided in organizing the show by her brother Brad, 15, as well as Noah Williams. There will be desserts and drinks for purchase, as well as raffle prizes. Tickets are $10 and she expects the concert to sell out. Proceeds will benefit Lazarex.

“I have been astounded by the community support,” Haley says, who will attend USC in the spring. Besides the City of Clayton, other sponsors include Skipolini’s Pizza, Safeway, the Defying Gravity Foundation, and the Clayton Pioneer.

This is the second year in a row that Haley and Brad put together a benefit concert for Lazarex. Last year they raised $4,000, and this year they hope to double that, she says.

Haley talks about raising money as if it’s second nature to her, and in many ways, it is. “I am very lucky to have grown up in a community that values giving back,” she says. “It’s always been something that’s important to me.”

Haley says she loves to be involved in the community, and helping others. While in middle school she helped organize a creek clean-up in Clayton, “and it felt really good,” she says. “Giving back is what makes this community work.”

It’s a sentiment shared by her mom, Kimberly. “Kids in this community have been blessed by good role models,” she says. “They’ve grown up with a philanthropic attitude. I think kids like Haley are just wired that way.”

The Lazarex Cancer foundation, formed in 2006, is based out of Danville. According to Kim Morucci, the foundation “has quadrupled their patients in the last eight months. They are now assisting nearly 400 patients.”

One of the Lazarex patients, a 4-year-old girl being treated at UCSF, may perform at the benefit concert.
“Her dream is to perform onstage, so we’re really hoping we can make this happen for her.”
Tickets for the benefit concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at Clayton’s Endeavor Hall are available at https://lazarex.ejoinme.org/hope.