With a sold-out crowd topping 600 guests, The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s annual illumination Gala raised nearly $1.8 million for cancer research at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. The event was held April 20, 2013, at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis.
Gala co-chairs Ron Kruszewski, chairman, president and CEO, Stifel; and Craig Schnuck, chairman of the Executive Committee, Schnuck Markets Inc., led community support for the illumination Gala this year. ACW Alliance and Stifel were presenting sponsors of the event, which included a cocktail reception, dinner, luxury auction, special videos and the musical entertainment of Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers.
“This event to support cancer research at Siteman is such a meaningful opportunity for each of us to make a difference for our future and our children’s future,” Kruszewski says. “Thanks to research, the progress being made in cancer treatments just in the last few years is phenomenal.”
Schnuck agrees. “Siteman is leading the way to more personalized cancer treatments based on an individual’s genes—and the Cancer Frontier Fund is playing a significant part in those advancements. It gives us all hope and I’m humbled to be part of it.”
The illumination Gala supports The Foundation’s Cancer Frontier Fund, which was created in 2009 to help Siteman Cancer Center researchers accelerate breakthroughs that will change cancer care and expedite cures. In 2012, the Cancer Frontier Fund supported research to improve treatments and outcomes for pancreatic, cervical, breast, blood cell and skin cancers; to develop a simple urine test to detect kidney cancer earlier; and to develop a way to stimulate the immune system to destroy tumors.
As research support from the federal government is reduced, community support is more important than ever,” says Timothy Eberlein, MD, Siteman director. “Philanthropic support is helping us speed the process of finding more effective, individualized treatments with fewer side effects, as we work to eliminate cancer completely in the future. It’s an exciting time in cancer research.”
We’re so appreciative to all those who attended and supported illumination to make it so successful,” says Rich Liekweg, president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Barnes Jewish West County Hospital, and group president of BJC HealthCare. “Through the generosity of many, we’re able to keep our foot on the accelerator of cancer research so more people can live healthier lives.”
Siteman is the only cancer center in Missouri to hold the prestigious Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, Siteman’s parent institutions, also are nationally recognized, with U.S. News & World Report magazine consistently ranking both among the best in the country.
The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital helps donors enrich lives, save lives and transform patient care through charitable gifts. The Foundation supports the Siteman Cancer Center, as well as innovative research, patient support and services, medical education, and community outreach.
Contact:
Joyce Romine
314-286-0442
[email protected]