More than 500 people gathered at the Chase Park Plaza on May 15 for the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation’s illumination gala. By the end of the night, the event had grossed more than $1.6 million for the Foundation’s Cancer Frontier Fund, benefiting the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.

“Siteman is a world leader in ground-breaking cancer treatment and research, and we were honored to lead such an exciting event," gala co-chairs Stacey and Jim Weddle agree.

Jim Weddle is managing partner of Edward Jones, the gala’s presenting sponsor. Leading the team as gala emcee was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer, who was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2009.

The Cancer Frontier Fund will change cancer care and cure around the world by accelerating the pace of discoveries made at the Siteman Cancer Center. Since 1999, illumination has generated millions of dollars to support the Siteman Cancer Center – the only National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center within 240 miles of St. Louis – in the fight against cancer.

In 2010, the Cancer Frontier Fund supported research into vaccines for breast cancer and melanoma as well as improving treatments for patients with leukemia and stomach cancer.

Save the date now for 2011 illumination  on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at the Ritz-Carlton!

To find out more about the Cancer Frontier Fund and illumination and to see the video from last year's event please visit: www.GivingBarnesJewish.org/illumination11. To support the Cancer Frontier Fund (#6792), please click “Donate Now” above. If you have questions, please call David Sandler at 314-362- 3499 or e-mail [email protected].