Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline the 2027 Giving Gig, a fundraiser that supports Indianapolis-area cancer patients struggling with the everyday costs of treatment. The event is set for Saturday, April 17, 2027, at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott, located at 350 W. Maryland Street downtown.
The performance was announced by Community Health Network Foundation, which notes on its Giving Gig event page that “guests in 2027 will enjoy a performance by legendary band Lynyrd Skynyrd.” The news was also reported by WTHR, which is partnering with Community Health for the event next spring. The band's lead singer, Johnny Van Zant, has fronted Lynyrd Skynyrd at major shows in recent years, including a 2024 appearance at CMA Fest in Nashville.
A Fundraiser Built Around Patients' Daily Needs
Giving Gig is described by the foundation as Community Health Network Foundation's largest annual fundraising event, with proceeds focused on supporting Community Health Network MD Anderson Cancer Center patients in need through the Oncology Patient Assistance Fund. According to the foundation's donation page, the fund helps local cancer patients and their families cover food, medications, transportation, housing and utilities — the kinds of nonmedical expenses that can pile up fast during treatment.
That financial strain is not unique to Indianapolis. The National Cancer Institute notes that nonmedical costs tied to seeking treatment, such as transportation and lodging, can take a real financial toll on families nationwide. Locally, the fund tries to close that gap directly: a $250 donation funds one gift card for a cancer patient, the foundation says, and the program also provides utilities assistance and housing help aimed at keeping patients in their homes.
Thousands of Donors, Hundreds of Patients Helped Each Year
More than 1,000 donors come together at Giving Gig each year to support the Oncology Patient Assistance Fund, per the foundation's donation page, and organizers say every dollar raised through the event directly benefits the fund. The same page states that hundreds of local patients receive support through the program annually.
Community Health Network Foundation says its broader mission includes removing financial, transportation, food and treatment barriers that keep patients from accessing care. The Giving Gig program specifically backs patients' ability to afford essential expenses, access recovery services, participate in food security programs, and tap into caregiver support and family-strengthening resources, along with what the foundation calls innovative care initiatives.
Following a String of Big-Name Headliners
Lynyrd Skynyrd's booking continues a pattern of marquee acts headlining the gala. Singer Sheryl Crow served as the special guest for Giving Gig 2025, according to an earlier WTHR report. For donors eager to pitch in before next spring's concert, the foundation is also running a special Mexico vacation auction benefiting the Oncology Patient Assistance Fund, which closes Thursday, October 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Community Health Network Foundation is organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity, and its donation page states that contributions are tax deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. The foundation also clarifies that Giving Gig donations benefit patients and initiatives at Community Health Network MD Anderson Cancer Center in Indiana specifically, not research or programs at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
News of the headliner spread quickly on social media, with WTHR anchor Anne Marie Tiernon posting on Facebook, “Save the date! The Giving Gig 2027 is April 17th. Lynyrd...”
