Night of music in Hingham brings awareness, tributes

By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent

Friends and colleagues came together Saturday night at Derby Academy in Hingham to bring awareness to skin cancer and to honor Dr. Marie-France Demierre, a member of the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation who recently passed away.

The fund-raiser, auction, and tribute also featured the Neponset Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, a “training” orchestra consisting of professional musicians under the age of 35.

For many, the night was a complete success, bringing together two groups of educators for a worthy cause.

“To have things like this to prevent kids getting cancer, it’s an unbelievable thing,” said Krista Rubin, a nurse practitioner at Mass General Hospital in the Melanoma Center and member of the executive board of the melanoma foundation.

Maryellen Maguire-Eisen, the executive director for the foundation, also stressed the hard work of Demierre, who was much missed at the event.

Demierre, who helped found the Children’s Melanmoa Prevention Foundation in 2003, was remembered for her passion, dedication, and warmth

Orchestra conductor Lawrence Isaacson was especially mindful of the music selection for the night, stressing the celebratory and pensive aspects of the music the orchestra played.