Matt Damon, Ming Tsai Raise Money for Families Dealing with Cancer

Oscar winner and Massachusetts native Matt Damon joined celebrity chef Ming Tsai for a culinary fundraiser for a good cause. 

"Cooking Live Boston" on Monday, Oct. 6, benefited Family Reach, a nonprofit organization based in Boston that provides vital support to families affected by cancer. Family Reach is dedicated to helping families manage essential expenses such as housing, medication, transportation, and utilities that are often not covered by insurance.

Monday's event aimed to raise more than $1.5 million for Family Reach. It was held at the Boston Harbor Hotel in front of a packed house. Audience members watched Damon and Tsai host a cocktail hour, cooking demonstrations, and prepare multi-course meals.

In addition to appearances by Damon and Tsai, other notable chefs who showcased their skills included James Beard Award winners Chef Ken Oringer and Chef Paul Bartolotta, as well as Chef David Daniels and Chef Joanne Chang, according to 7 NEWS Boston.

During the event, audience members heard from Mikalo, an 18-year-old cancer survivor from Norwood who was diagnosed with cancer before age 2 and received crucial financial aid from Family Reach, which helped his family cover expenses during his treatment.

The team at Dana-Farber put his mother, Raquel, in touch with Family Reach. The organization subsidized her rent for a year to help the family. 

"We went through our own cancer battle in our family, with my dad," Damon said in remarks during the event recorded by NBC10 Boston. "I thought often about this organization, because we were one of the lucky families that had the resources to handle all of that other stuff, and I can't imagine, with the level of fear and trauma that kind of accompanies that journey."

Tsai said he has already raised more than $13 million for Family Reach, helping families across the country focus on healing rather than on how to afford medical expenses.