Perreault Magazine - 37 -
How it all began
In April 2013, Steve and Hope Dezember reached out to Michael and explained that Steve was living with advanced stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and that Steve had a wish to see Michael Franti and Spearhead in concert. During the show Michael invited the couple to join him and the band on stage. Although Steve was wheelchair bound and with little mobility, he asked Hope to lift him out of his chair. Wrapped in each other’s arms, they danced in front of the over 20,000 music fans. There was not a dry eye in the house.
Previously Michael had come very close to dying when his appendix ruptured while on tour. Sara works as an E.R. nurse. Their experiences, and the Dezembers’ story, led to the creation of Do It For The Love in 2013. Their hope is to give the gift of live music to as many people in need as possible ,to provide a positive and potentially life changing experience, and to inspire joy and connectedness through the experience . Their wish is for thousands to experience the healing power of music, and to keep giving that gift of live music to inspire joy and healing and to help families create these lasting memories.
Do It For The Love Foundation is now a non-profit network of musicians, health workers, concert promoters, and music venues dedicated to giving the gift of live concerts to wounded veterans, children with severe challenges, and people living with life-threatening illnesses. Through concerts and one-on-one meet and greets with their favorite artists, Do It For The Love offers fans and their caregivers an opportunity to laugh and dance, to sing and celebrate, and to break away from everyday hardships, and to create vivid memories.
“Through Do It For The Love we want to provide the opportunity for healing to take place, families to bond, care providers to get a welcomed break and for lifelong memories to be made - all through the experience of live music.” ~ Sara Agah
Since its inception, DO IT FOR THE LOVE has made more than 500 wishes come true!! To nominate yourself or someone you know who might need the healing power of music, to volunteer or donate, please visit: