Breakfast of Hope May 15, 2012

Steven "Cojo" Cojocaru will dish on fashion - and share his personal experience with kidney disease - at the 10th annual Breakfast of Hope. The event will raise money for Northwest Kidney Centers' life-sustaining dialysis treatments and community benefit programs such as charity care, research and education. This year's theme is "Celebrating 50 Years of Hope" recognizing Northwest Kidney Centers' 50th anniversary as the first dialysis organization in the world.

The event will be held May 15, 2012, from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. at the Seattle Westin Hotel, 1900 Fifth Ave. KING 5 News anchor Allen Schauffler will serve as master of ceremonies.

Celebrity insider, TV fashion critic and best-selling author Cojo is known for memorable interviews with entertainment stars. He was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in 2004, spent time on dialysis, and has undergone two kidney transplants. The first, donated by his best friend, was removed when it became infected. He lived on self-administered daily dialysis until his 70-year-old mother donated a kidney in October 2005. Cojo will share his story with donors who attend the Breakfast of Hope.

There is no charge for the event, but there is a suggested donation of $150 per person. To register online, go to www.nwkidney.org/breakfast or contact Wendy Stauff, event coordinator, at 206-720-8585 or [email protected].

About Steven Cojocaru: Cojo was People Magazine's West Coast fashion editor, and has written two autobiographies, "Red Carpet Diaries: Confessions of a Glamour Boy" (2003) and "Glamour, Interrupted" (2008). In 2003, he joined the cast of Entertainment Tonight, providing coverage of celebrity fashion. He was the style correspondent for the Today show from 2000-2005 and has also worked at E! and Access Hollywood. In 2003 and 2004, Cojocaru worked on American Idol, helping contestants select new wardrobe pieces. Cojo lives in Los Angeles.

Official Website: http://www.nwkidney.org/donate/events/breakfast.html