Leo’s Restaurant in Southbury Hosting Pie Eating Contest in Honor of Local Boy with Rare Genetic Disorder

Text and photo by Rebecca Harris, Children's Tumor Foundation

Southbury, CT - A lot of pie for a little boy boy in need.

On August 28, Leo’s Restaurant of Southbury is hosting a pie eating contest to raise awareness and funds for neurofibromatosis. Owners Bob and Michelle Moniz and Rose Leo were inspired to organize this event in support of a local 3-year-old boy, Alex Owens, who lives with neurofibromatosis.

NF is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and affects one in every 3,000 people. Currently there is no cure or effective treatment for NF.

Money raised will be donated to the Children's Tumor Foundation, a leading nonprofit organization in the fight to end NF through research.

Alex was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis at 4-months-old. He is being treated for tumors on his brain and back. When asked if he thinks he’s a hero, Alex responds, “Yes! I’m Batman (or Superman)” depending on which shirt he’s wearing that day. He was actually named after one of history’s most brilliant military leaders, Alexander the Great, which is a fitting namesake for this little warrior.

In addition to going to preschool, Alex enjoys taking swimming lessons, playing with his older brother, and going to Leo’s Restaurant for his 1-1-1 breakfast special (1 egg, 1 slice of bacon, and 1 pancake) with cranberry juice.

“Our family has been part of this community for generations. When we heard about Alex, we wanted to support him and his family, but offer something fun the whole town could enjoy,” said Bob Moniz, owner of Leo’s Restaurant Southbury. “Pie eating seemed like a good way to do that.”

Alex’s mom Diane is a member of the NF Endurance team, a national fundraising program of the Children's Tumor Foundation that supports NF research, raises awareness, and provides support for individuals with NF and their families. Proceeds from this event will go towards Diane’s Triple Crown campaign, as she strives to complete three races in 2016 in honor of her son.

After a sudden and unexpected battle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome earlier this year, Diane found herself a quadriplegic, suffering from various other paralyses, unable to swallow and struggling to breathe. After seven weeks in the hospital, and continued physical therapy, her goals evolved, but she was still committed to fulfilling her purpose.

“Every race can be challenging, but this year will be particularly grueling as I learn to walk, then run and attempt to rebuild my endurance, speed and balance,” said Diane Owens, Alex’s mom. “It’s worth it. CTF is worth it. My son is worth it.”

This is Diane’s fourth year of fundraising for CTF on behalf of her son through NF Endurance; she has raised nearly $90,000 since 2013.

For additional information about Alex Owens Leo’s Restaurant Annual Pie Eating Contest, visit ctf.org/leospiecontest.

About Children’s Tumor Foundation
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with neurofibromatosis (NF), a term for three distinct disorders: NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis. NF causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. NF affects one in every 3,000 people, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease combined. The Children’s Tumor Foundation funds critical research into neurofibromatosis. In addition to benefiting those who live with NF, this research is shedding new light on several forms of cancer, brain tumors, bone abnormalities, and learning disabilities, ultimately benefiting the broader community. For more information, please visit www.ctf.org.

Leo’s Restaurant Annual Pie Eating Contest

• Bennett Square Plaza , 7 Poverty Road, Southbury, CT 06488
• Sunday August 28, 2016
• Check-In Begins 3:45 PM
• Pie Eating Begins 4:15 PM