Armenian Rock Bands to Perform in Charitable Concert to Raise Cancer Treatment Money

Following the success of Rock for Life, the MamaSyu charitable foundation is organizing yet another charitable rock concert called “Rock for Life 2” on Nov. 14 at 7 pm.

Such well-known names in Armenia’s rock scene as The Beautified Project, Empyray, Dogma and Reincarnation (though more of a reggae band than a rock band) will be performing live at Yerevan’s Puppet Theatre named after Hovhannes Tumanyan.

The MamaSyu foundation aims to support women in Armenia diagnosed with breast cancer by raising public awareness as well as fundraising for expensive treatment.

At a press conference earlier this year, MamaSyu representatives said that one in every 13 women in Armenia is diagnosed with breast cancer, 30% of whom are prescribed the expensive drug Herceptin. Each ampule of Herceptin costs $3,000 USD and a single treatment can include 18 rounds, which amounts to $54,000 USD. To top it all off, the drug is neither paid for nor subsidized by the state.

The aim of the concert is to raise funds to purchase an additional ampule of Herceptin for Susanna (Syu) Sepetchyan’s mother in Armenia who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Syu’s mother has already begun treatment by taking 3 doses of Herceptin (the funds of which were raised through other charitable events in Yerevan, New York and Paris) but is unable to continue treatment without raising additional funds.