July 7th to 15th, 2023
Fishing For A Cure: The biggest and best event to date!
July 15th marked the final day of competition for the 5th Annual Avalon Invitational Offshore Fishing Tournament with a gathering of participants, sponsors, and friends at the Avalon Marine Center. The 2023 event provided another data point showing the growth of the tournament in terms of net proceeds, growing from $8,000 in 2019 to over $63,000 donated to NF2 Biosolutions in 2023 through this event! That is $167,000 of total donations over the 5 years that the big-game fishermen of southern New Jersey along with the sponsors have been “Fishing For a Cure!”.
Sponsors included:
The tournament was established and is hosted by Kevin Dougherty, a lifelong friend of the Henwood family. AJ Henwood, the young man affected by Neurofibromatosis II and the driving force behind the creation of the event was not only a first-time participant in 2023, but he even finished in second place with his 101lb Yellowfin Tuna that he caught aboard the Bodacious. Sea Mistress took first by more than double with its jaw-dropping 269lb bigeye tuna. Congrats to the winners and thanks for donating your winnings back!
When contacted for comment, Dougherty simply stated that “it was a very good event – I want to do even better next year”. Dougherty is committed to raising additional funds in 2024, which he thinks can only happen through corporate sponsorship and growth in participation beyond the current 32 boats that
competed in 2023.
When not volunteering his time on behalf of AJ and other NF2 fighters, Kevin is a Supply Chain Strategy Leader at a New Jersey-based Pharmaceutical company. He has a passion for improving the quality of life for those with illnesses, so it is fitting that he spends part of his free time organizing sponsors, and participants, and ultimately managing the event.
For more sponsorship information or to help support the event, please reach out to Kevin at kevindoc@gmail.com.






2023 Event Sponsors
BRANDYWINE DEVELOPERS, STERLING TACKLE, CHANNEL MARINE CONSTRUCTION, DH YACHT SALES, AVALON MARINE CENTER, BODACIOUS SPORT FISHING, CAREFREE BOAT CLUB, B SAFE ALARMS, BLUE WATER BOATS, SOUTH JERSEY YACHT SALES, BRIAN HOSKINS FORD, CHART HOUSE MARINE ELECTRONICS & OUTFITTING, PETTINARO, RUSSEL PLYWOOD, NORTHEASTERN EYE INSTITUTE, DOC BRESLER’S CAVITY BUSTERS, HANK SAUCE, STATE FARM – BOB SCITTINA, DALLAS INDUSTRIAL SERVICES INC, GUARANTEED RATE, PURDY REAL ESTATE, DAN BOWERSOCK GROUP