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Arts & Entertainment

Piedmont Author Has Right Stuff to Plan Hospital Fundraiser

Kelly Corrigan plans Friday 'Notes and Words' event to benefit Children's Hospital.

 After the recovery of her 3-month-old daughter Claire from meningitis six years ago, Kelly Corrigan went back and sat with the nurses at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, reliving their time together, and thought: “I want to help.”

That’s when the Piedmont resident added impresario to her job titles along with busy mom, cancer survivor and best-selling author.

Corrigan is unfazed by the size of the event as she plans the second annual “Notes and Words” with live music and literary conversation at 8 p.m. Friday, April 1, at the Fox Theater in Oakland.

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“I’m hoping we can give Children’s Hospital the love and attention it deserves,” said Corrigan. “It’s a hard-working institution that has been treating patients for 100 years.”

When she heard the diagnosis, Corrigan didn’t know much about the seriousness of meningitis. But she found out quickly and thoroughly because of the reassuring manner of Children’s staff and accessible specialists.

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“For a research hospital with their expertise, they are really focused on the patients,” said Corrigan.

She learned that Children’s has developed worldwide protocols for sickle cell anemia and cerebral palsy, and that it is one of the Bay Area’s primary teaching hospitals, accepting 20 residencies annually from 600 applicants.

Corrigan, the author of Lift and The Middle Place, might be best known for a reading of her essay “Transcending” reflecting about women and friendship. It has been viewed by millions on YouTube.

Corrigan lists her favorite things about Piedmont: Mulberry’s, the Fourth of July parade, and the Recreation Department. Corrigan and husband Edward Lichty, general manager at Vudu, a company that streams movies directly to televisions have two daughters, Claire (now 7) and Georgia, age 9.

“Life is about risk and parenthood,” said Corrigan. These are the themes she focused on in Lift, an extended essay that describes the travails of her family coping with Claire’s illness. The Middle Way, her first book, is a memoir that deals with her journey with breast cancer, which has endeared thousands of readers for its realism and support.

In coping, Corrigan has relied on an upbringing with a solid, upbeat family.

“My parents go to church every day – they’re Catholics,” she said. “My mother’s motto in life is ‘make yourself useful.’ And that’s my religion.”

After attending public schools in a Philadelphia suburb, where her middle school English teacher inspired her to be a writer, Corrigan went on to the University of Richmond, Virginia. She describes it as a gorgeous, remote campus in a dangerous city. With college friends, she spent off-study time volunteering for organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

She smiles, remembering her life-changing trip to San Francisco, where she enrolled in a master’s program in writing at San Francisco State. 

“Have a good time, lovey,” said her dad, not realizing that his daughter would be bitten by the California bug. A few years down the road, Corrigan had re-rooted as a Piedmont mom.

After she graduated, she took a job with United Way for 10 years as a fundraiser, visiting companies and explaining the value of the giant non-profit’s work. She took people on tours to soup kitchens, the Special Olympics and other places unfamiliar to those who don’t rely on them for survival and dignity.

And she was writing and gaining recognition. “When you’re a writer, it’s like being a bride,” she mused.  “All the attention … you can become Bridezilla. I feel like I need to put it all to good use.”

So she was ready to go for the Children’s Hospital impresario gig, which comes together on Friday at the Fox Theater, 187 Telegraph Ave. Corrigan will read, as will best-selling nonfiction writer Michael Lewis and essayist Beth Lisick. Musician performers include songwriter Megan Slankard, Oakland wonder musician Hyim and Bay Area super band The Family Crest.

Last year’s pilot project was held entirely on the Fox stage, and raised $267,000. This year, the concert is expected to fill the entire 1,100-seat venue, recently refurbished. Ticket prices range from $50 to $10,000 — the big ticket gets you four VIP passes to “The Rock Star Lounge,” including conversation with the artists and complimentary bar. Larger donations are gratefully accepted. 

Children’s Hospital is lucky to have an articulate benefactor who has walked the walk.

“I’m super lucky,” Corrigan said. “I recognize that my parents love each other. I found my guy, I like my brothers, and somebody bought my book. I better put all that to good use!”

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