Def Leppard’s Phil Collen put his money where his heart is this week when he helped raise $20,000 for the Gerson Institute.

Collen, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune, is a vegan and focusing on being healthy and fit.  When a friend’s mother recently passed away from cancer, they teamed up to raise money for a charity by auction off a guitar. 

But this wasn’t just any guitar. It was a custom designed Jackson PC1. The Jackson Guitars website boasts that the “Collen’s PC1" was one of the original Jackson® signature guitars; based on the Dinky™ model but featuring more exotic woods and the Jackson sustainer/driver system”

After some research and talking with the wife of drummer Paul Cook and a raw foods chef, Collen decided that the Gerson Institute would be the beneficiary of the guitar auction.

The Gerson Institute’s website explains that they are a non-profit organization in San Diego, CA, dedicated to providing education and training in the Gerson Therapy, an alternative, non-toxic treatment for cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases.

The guitar, which Collen played this past summer while on tour with Def Leppard, was put up for auction and went to the high bidder for $15,000!  Collen added an additional $5,000 to bring the total donation to $20,000!

Talk about making a difference. Kudos to Phil Collen and his philanthropic efforts. Rock On Phil!!