Jay Leno hosts 3rd annual Snow Ball Gala on Saturday at St. Regis Aspen

Jay Leno hosts the 3^rd Annual Aspen Snow Ball Gala on Feb. 8 at St. Regis Aspen Resort, where Christie Brinkley will receive the Philanthropic Impact Achievement Award, and Swedish pop star Zara Larsson will perform. Hosted by Children’s Oncology Support Fund (COSF), the gala acts as the nonprofit’s signature fundraising event.

COSF funds development, research, and programs to generate less toxic therapies for pediatric cancer patients throughout the nation. It also supports wellness and mental health programs for patients.

The gala, which benefits Children’s Hospital Colorado this year, carries the theme, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” It’s a nod to Dr. Seuss, so think full-length ballgowns and black ties.

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“It’s whimsical, quirky, avant-garde, and immersive,” said COSF founder Thomas Pierce. “I’m anticipating a lot of feathers, a lot of sequins, and a lot of different shapes to go with Dr. Seuss — and fuzzy fabrics. For guys, it’s always a tux and a cowboy hat.”

Notable attendees include Leno, Brinkley, Rachel Zoe, Zara Larsson, Robin Thicke, Chloe Jane, DJ Carlita, Luke K, Mia Moretti, Brooke Burke, Adrian Brody, Karla Sofia Gascon, Edgar Ramirez, Jackie Cruz, Nolan Funk, Hunter Doohan, Serinda Swan, Bryan Fogel, James Packer, Peter Brant Jr, Thomas Doherty, Barron and Tessa Hilton, Kyle Richards, Michael Chow, Ashley Wyndham, Keni Silva, and Kyra Kennedy.

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The live auction features a VIP, all-inclusive trip to St. Barts with a private chef and villa; a sculpture by Anthony James, who’s known for his monumental sculptures that embrace minimalism, transcendentalism, light, and space; and a painting by contemporary artist Mr. Brainwash. The balloon pop pledge also returns this year: With a donation of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, guests can pop a balloon and have a chance to win a prize that’s 10 times the value, Pierce said.

“It’s the highlight of the event,” he said, adding, “The dance floor is packed every year. I go to events all over the nation, and it’s the best dance floor.”

As a New York film producer and philanthropist, Pierce launched COSF in January 2022, after COVID hit and donor donations dried up for art therapy, sports outings, and other field trips and programs for cancer patients in hospitals nationwide.

“Aspen’s such a great, tight-knit community of great importance, (I wondered) why isn’t there that New York-scale of events that could attract donors and bring the press and entertainers to shed light on the mission,” he said.

So, he hosted a cocktail party for about 50 celebrities in Aspen.

“Everyone was so touched by the mission, and we started to build a community from there,” he said, adding that his connections in filmmaking, event production, brand strategy, and public relations benefitted the grassroots effort.

That night, they raised $200,000. Since then, they’ve raised more than $5 million in Aspen — $2.5 million at the first gala and $2.8 million at last year’s gala.

This year, they expanded the event to span five days, so everyone could spend more time together throughout Snow Ball Week.

“We wanted to build a tight-knit community of people who have lost loved ones from cancer — and families who have (or have had) cancer. We want to bring everyone together for a common cause,” he said. “Visitors who come to Aspen get the best week in Aspen — it’s a curated trip for our out-of-towners.”

Pierce has personally been touched by loss through cancer; he witnessed how his good friend, Pamela Johnson, suffered physically, emotionally, and financially from the disease.

“I literally do all this work to keep her name alive,” he said. “It was devastating to lose a friend. I cannot imagine what parents go through when their children receive a diagnosis.”

Since its inception, COSF has partnered with hospitals and nonprofits, including Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

His goal includes “making sure children have access to childhood — and to bring families together to find joy together,” he said, adding that siblings often suffer, too, because resources are strapped, and oftentimes, families must move to a new city for treatment.

COSF funds contribute to programs such as art and music therapy, dance, theater, peer groups, and sporting events. This year’s gala will support Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder’s wellness programs, so that it can employ more support therapists, such as art therapists, full time.

And, since the Los Angeles fires, Pierce is also looking at ways he can help families impacted by the toxic air; he is considering using a portion of proceeds from the gala to build a temporary center to offer after-school programs, tutoring, babysitting, events, and access to computers and mental health services.

“Any child I speak with — and their families and their siblings — we talk about where they find the joy, and they find the joy in what we all take for granted, and that’s normalcy and play,” he said, adding that he receives plenty of drawings, cards, and videos of kids with cancer playing instruments. “It’s really heartwarming, but it’s the parents who are the most grateful, because it gives them space to come together in an environment that is healthy.”

As one patient wrote to him: “My goal is to one day see a world where pediatric cancer doesn’t exist. I believe organizations such as COSF and Children’s Colorado will help make that happen.”

This year, Snow Ball Week revolves around educating guests about how COSF started and where it is going. And that includes helping children with cancer and their families not only survive, but also thrive.