Contact:
Jason Merrill
314-286-0302
[email protected]
ST. LOUIS – Peabody Opera House has announced that net proceeds totaling $100,000 from its grand re-opening gala have been donated to The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital to support research at the John L. Trotter Multiple Sclerosis Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. The October gala – headlined by Aretha Franklin and Jay Leno – marked the return of the Opera House, following an historic $79 million restoration.
“The Peabody Opera House is more than just a place to come and see your favorite musical artist or Broadway production or attend a wedding or special event,” said Chris McKee, Peabody Opera House Co-Owner. “It’s a gathering place at the heart of the city, and a building with a strong connection to the community. I’m thrilled to join the rest of the Opera House ownership group – Dave Checketts, Mike McCarthy and Joe McKee – along with thousands of others who supported the gala, in sharing the wonderful success of that evening with our friends at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine and, in particular, the John L. Trotter MS Center. It is a truly special cause, and we’re honored to be associated with Dr. Anne Cross, the Center’s Director, who shares our vision of what community means and what St. Louis is and stands for.”
This support helps the Trotter MS Center team continue to pave the way to research breakthroughs that develop deeper understanding of multiple sclerosis, develop new treatment options, give patients better quality of life and, one day, discover a cure. Current Trotter Center research projects have the potential to lead to therapies that will slow progression of MS in those patients who at present do not benefit from available therapies; lead to therapies that will reverse spinal damage causing permanent disability; and link knowledge of MS causes to an ultimate cure for the disease.
“Twenty years ago: there were no treatments to slow the progression of MS. Today, we have several therapies proven to prevent relapse and cognitive decline, and which significantly improve the quality of life for some MS patients. Research on some of these therapies was performed right here at the John Trotter Center,” notes Dr. Cross, the Manny and Rosalyn Rosenthal – Dr. John Trotter Multiple Sclerosis Center Chair in Neuroimmunology. “Proceeds from the Peabody Opera House event help put us on track for larger discoveries over the next 10 or 20 or 30 years. Thank you, Peabody Opera House and all the St. Louisans who attended this opening event! Your charitable gifts to support our research take us from hope to reality.”
About the John L. Trotter Multiple Sclerosis Center
The team at the John L. Trotter Multiple Sclerosis Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine works to take MS patient care, research and education to entirely new levels. The Trotter MS Center team participates in—and often leads—nationally recognized clinical trials with the goal of discovering more effective therapies for MS patients. The team has made multiple breakthroughs, discovering new therapy options that slow the progression of the disease, prevent relapses and cognitive decline and improve patients’ quality of life.
About The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Charitable gifts to The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital make efforts like these possible. The Foundation helps donors enrich lives, save lives and transform patient care through charitable gifts. Every dollar and every donor count when it comes to ensuring the best health care will be there for us or someone we love, when we need it the most. To find out more about The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital and to make a gift to the John L. Trotter Center, please visit www.GivingBarnesJewish.org.
About the Peabody Opera House
Peabody Opera House is an historic 3,100-seat theater in the heart of downtown St. Louis that has recently undergone a $79 million restoration. Originally opened in 1934, the Opera House stage has welcomed some of entertainment’s greatest performers, including The Rat Pack, The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles and Bruce Springsteen. Restoration of Peabody Opera House began in July 2010 and was completed in September 2011; this historical gem was restored to its original splendor complete with state-of-the-art upgrades. To keep up to date with great events coming to Peabody Opera House, please visit www.peabodyoperahouse.com.
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