Community Corner

Woodbridge-based Band Fights Cancer With Their Concerts

The Knight Owls, a local band known for their generous impulses, is performing tonight in a concert to stop pancreatic cancer, a disease that claimed the father of a band member.

Playing benefit concerts is nothing new for the Fords-based band, the . In May, they performed during the 2011 Arthritis Walk at Middlesex County College, and donated half of the proceeds made from merchandise sales to the foundation.Their generous impulses led to in Woodbridge at a July concert, where the proceeds were given to help Nikolai Ruck, a 24-year-old college student injured in a car accident last year who remains in a coma.

The Knight Owls will be holding another benefit performance tonight, but this time, the recipient of their charitable impulses is a little closer to home.

The Pancreatic Action Network (PanCAN) is getting the proceeds of the concert, to be held at The Crossroads on North Ave. in Garwood. That's because the father of John Check, the Knight Owl's leader singer and guitarist, died from the disease.

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It's been 16 years since Check's father passed away, but it still seems as painfully fresh as if it just happened.

"The main reason we chose to raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network was because my father passed away from this terrible disease,” Check said. “Many people, whether you are a celebrity or not, unfortunately get this cancer and don't stand a chance."

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The timing is fitting; Apple founder and icon just died last month from pancreatic cancer. Jobs' death, along with the open struggle of actor Patrick Swayze, who ultimately died from the disease in 2009, have helped heightened awareness of this particularly virulent form of cancer.

Most people who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer died within a year of the time it's discovered. There is no way to test for pancreatic cancer, and it remains immune to chemotherapy.

"It has been 16 years since my dad died and seems as if little progress has been made. We want to help change that any way we can," Check said.

While Check's connection to his father remains strong after all this time, it's not unusual. Family is a big thing with this band: his son, Matt, is a band member. The Knight Owls' other members are bassist Manny Pena and drummer Ron Wagenhoffer.

They have much to celebrate - it's the one-year anniversary of their debut CD Who Gives a Hoot, which will be for sale at tonight's benefit concert.

All ticket sales from the evening, as well as half of the overall profit made by Check and the band from merchandise sales, will be donated to PanCAN.

Tonight's set at The Crossroads starts at 7:30 pm, with the Knight Owls taking the stage at 10 pm.

For more information, call 908-232-5666.


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