History of "A Toast to Life" Event
“A Toast to Life” began back in 2004 in Champaign, Illinois. Originally titled “Betting on a Cure,” this fundraiser was started
by University of Illinois senior, Sarah Madden. Sarah enlisted the help of her friends to put together a small happy hour gathering
of family and friends to raise much needed funds for this terrible disease. That event still continues on campus today and last year Sarah and her siblings, Tim Madden and Shawn Barth, decided
to re-ignite the event, this time in Chicago.

The first move was to re-name the event. “A Toast to Life” was chosen as a reminder to live life to the fullest each and every day. “A Toast to Life” debuted in Chicago in February of 2007. The event brought out nearly 200 attendees and raised more than $10,000.
It became immediately clear that there is a growing need for ALS awareness and fundraising in Chicagoland.

The second annual event proved even more successful than the first. For the first time the event offered sponsorship opportunities and an opportunity for the outside community to get involved in what began with one family’s fight. More than tripling net proceeds from the previous year, over $30,000 was raised for ALS research.

“A Toast to Life” offers a chance for business professionals, family and friends to gather together to combat this terrible disease.
It is our intention that “A Toast to Life” will continue to grow into Chicagoland’s premier ALS research benefit in the coming years.