On October 30th Breast Cancer Alliance welcomed more than 1,000 friends, supporters and survivors to their 23rd annual fundraising luncheon and fashion show at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Greenwich, CT. The staggering statistic that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer inspired this year’s benefit theme For Our Daughters, For Our Future.
Co-chairs Lois Kelly and Molly Zola welcomed supporters and introduced breast cancer survivor and WCBS-FM radio host Patty Steele in conversation with her surgeon, Dr. Elisa Port, Director of the Dubin Breast Center at Mount Sinai and a member of the Alliance’s Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Port is also author of “The New Generation Breast Cancer Book: How To Navigate Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options and Remain Optimistic In the Age of Information Overload.”
Steele and Dr. Port developed a working partnership based on trust, respect and compassion, highlighted with a lot of optimism. Steele’s journey has filled her with gratitude for the love and support of her family, her friends, doctors and her WCBS co-host Scott Shannon. Being open and honest on air brought gratitude from listeners who were fighting their own battles and found encouragement and hope in Steele’s optimism.
Long time sponsor Richards presented the AKRIS Spring and Resort Collection which was preceded by the luncheon’s highlight, the Models of Inspiration celebration. Thirteen women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer commanded the catwalk in outfits from Richards’ Fall collection, bringing the audience to its feet with cheers, tears and thunderous applause.
Breast Cancer Alliance President Mary Jeffery noted the importance of the BCA donations in funding crucial research that allows scientists to transform their findings into innovative and effective treatments, making the difference between good care and extraordinary care. “We do the right thing with your donations. Thank you for trusting us.”
BCA Executive Director Yonni Wattenmaker lauded the guests for the financial impact their generosity makes each year and challenged the attendees to create their own future in which cures for all types of breast cancer exist.
Breast Cancer Alliance (BCA) is a regionally-based foundation making a remarkable national impact. It is one of the largest private, non-corporate breast cancer organizations in the United States.
Since its inception in 1996 the organization has awarded more than $25 million in grants, supporting its mission to improve survival rates and quality of life for those impacted by breast cancer through better prevention, early detection, treatment and cure.
Breast Cancer Alliance invests in innovative research, breast surgery fellowships,regional education dignified support, and screening for the underserved. Over its more than two-decade history, BCA has funded cutting-edge research and one-year postgraduate breast surgery fellowships at more than 25 of the nation’s leading research and medical institutions.
On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Associates Committee and VALENTINO hosted the annual Fall Party at The Metropolitan Club in New York. The black tie event was co-chaired by Amanda Waldron, Annelise Peterson Winter, and Sara Zilkha. More than 250 high-profile guests attended the Fall Party from the worlds of fashion, business, art, and philanthropy. Attendees enjoyed cocktails, a three-course dinner, and dancing into the night, making for a truly glamorous evening.
The Fall Party raised critical funds to support Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Department of Pediatrics, a multidisciplinary center for excellence for the treatment of children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders, recognized worldwide for their treatment of children with cancer.
Notable guests included: Indré and Justin Rockefeller, Claiborne Swanson Frank and James Frank, Kate Davis, Virginia and Walter Tomenson, Austen and Ernesto Cruz, Sara Gilbane Sullivan and James Sullivan, Annie and Chris Taube, Mary Carlisle Gambill and Benjamin Gambill, Annelise Peterson Winter and David Winter, Marcie and Jordan Pantzer, Sara and Nathaniel Zilkha, Gillian Hearst, Amory McAndrew, Brent and Michael Winston, Jessica Sailer Van Lith, Meredith Melling, Sylvana Ward Durrett, Phoebe de Croisset, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Marisa van Bokhorst, Robin van Bokhorst, Beth Blake Day and Corbin Day, Carolina and Thomas de Neufville, Joanna Baker de Neufville and Peter de Neufville, Anna Burke Patterson and Justin Patterson, Palmer O’Sullivan, Lucinda and Theodore May, Molly Howard, Valerie Macaulay, Ali Wise, Amanda Taylor, Mia Moretti, Elizabeth Kurpis, Dani Stahl, Shiona Turini, Barbara Sturm, Alexandra Michler, Tina Craig, Charlotte Cordes, Maria Duenas Jacobs, and many more.
American Ballet Theatre hosted its annual Fall Gala dinner and performance at the David H. Koch Theater on Wednesday, October 17th. Several of New York’s best and brightest stepped out to celebrate the kickoff to ABT’s fall season including longtime ABT supporter, actress Katie Holmes, actor & singer, Ansel Elgort and ballerina girlfriend, Violetta Komyshan.
Additional notable attendees included Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl, actress Jennifer Tilly, fashion designers Tory Burch and Wes Gordon, television journalist Diane Sawyer, ballerina Misty Copeland, Allison Sarofim, theater producer Jordan Roth, Carlos Souza, Amy Astley, Hamish Bowles, and artist Anh Duong among others.
The evening honored ABT Trustee Sarah Arison with The Melville Straus Leadership Achievement Award and celebrated the ABT Women’s Movement, an institutional initiative committed to the creation, exploration, and staging of new works by female choreographers.
Caroline Kennedy served as Honorary Chair for the evening alongside benefit Chairs Jody Gottfried Arnhold, Emily Blavatnik, Agnes Gund, Jenna Segal and Sutton Stracke. Co-Chairs included Linda Allard, Amy Astley, Avery and Andrew Barth, BNY Mellon, Hamish Bowles, Brookfield Properties, Malcolm Carfrae, Lisa and Dick Cashin, Anh Duong, Katherine Farley and Jerry I. Speyer, Susan and Leonard Feinstein, First Republic, Mr. and Mrs. Austin T. Fragomen, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brian J. Heidtke, Lillian E. Kraemer, Elizabeth and Reynold Levy, Kara Moore, Net- a-Porter, Karen C. Phillips, Melissa A. Smith, Stewart R. Smith and Robin A. Ferracone, Beth Chartoff Spector and Jason Spector, Monica B. Voldstad and Thomas Wilhelm. Serving as Junior Committee Chairs were Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl among others.
In celebration of American Ballet Theatre’s commitment to the arts, the Fall Gala performance featured works by all-female choreographers, including a World Premiere by Michelle Dorrance, the celebrated tap dancer, choreographer, and 2015 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, In the Upper Room, a tour de force by the legendary Twyla Tharp, and Le Jeune by Lauren Lovette, performed by the ABT Studio Company, the top tier of ABT’s training ladder. Following the performance, a formal seated dinner and dancing commenced on the Promenade of the Koch Theater.
Proceeds from the Gala support American Ballet Theatre, ABT’s Women’s Movement, and its educational outreach programs.
Photographs by Elaine & Chichi Ubina (Breast Cancer Alliance); Tiffany Sage/BFA.com (MSKCC Fall Party); Hunter Abrams/BFA.com (ABT).
