Inspirations Volume 14 - Gabrielle`s Angel Foundation

2008
Inspirations
WINTER 2008 | Volume 14
Co-Founders
Denise Rich
Philip Aouad
Board of Directors
Rita Cosby
Television Host
Deborah Dunsire, M.D.
Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Star Jones
Television Personality, Author & Attorney
Clifford Perlman, Esq.
Perlman & Perlman
Frank Rella
Trine Corporation
Michèle Rella
A Newsletter from Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research (formerly The G&P Foundation)
Gabrielle’s Gala Raises
Nearly $1.8 Million
On a beautiful autumn evening in downtown Manhattan,
“Gabrielle’s Gala,” the inaugural event under the Foundation’s
new name, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research,
had a banner night, raising nearly $1.8 million for blood cancer
research. With the incredible support of the evening’s sponsors,
Audi of America, Continental Airlines and Lorraine Schwartz,
and Gabrielle’s Angel Award honoree and longtime friend of
the Foundation, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard W. Lutnick, the
evening proved a resounding success.
Director
Daniella Rich Kilstock
Director
Ilona Rich Schachter
Director
Paul Schindler, Esq.
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Donald M. Toresco
Toresco Enterprises, Inc.
Erin Zammett Ruddy
Author & Glamour Columnist
Medical Advisory Board
Stephen D. Nimer, M.D. - Chairman
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Barrie R. Cassileth, Ph.D.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Curt I. Civin, M.D.
Johns Hopkins University
Jerome E. Groopman, M.D.
Harvard Institute of Medicine
Janet D. Rowley, M.D., D.Sc.
University of Chicago
Rainer Storb, M.D.
Cipriani Wall Street was reminiscent of old-Hollywood thanks to David Tutera’s elegant décor
of pearls, calla lilies and red roses filling the candlelit room. The evening featured special performances by Grammy-winning icons Patti LaBelle who sang “A Change is Gonna Come” and
Gladys Knight who ended the evening with four of her greatest hits including “Midnight Train
to Georgia” and “You’re the Best Thing.”
Foundation Board Member Daniella Rich Kilstock and the actor Alan Cumming welcomed a
full-capacity crowd that included such celebrities as Akon, Ashanti, Katrina Bowden, Clive
Davis, The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Nina Garcia, Chanel Iman, Donnie Klang, Olympic
Gold Medalist Nastia Liukin, Christina Milian, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivana Trump, Christy Carlson
Romano, Marty Richards, and 785 Records girl group, At First Blush. A poignant moment in the
evening came when Co-Founder Denise Rich led the crowd in a moment of silence with a candle
lighting in remembrance of loved ones lost.
CharityFolks and Grandstand Sports held the Silent Auctions online and on-site and raised over
$115,000 to fund cancer research. Parked on Wall Street just outside the venue was silent auction
item by renowned artist Hunt Slonem, the specially designed Audi A5 with the artist himself in
attendance. Foundation Board Member, Star Jones added to the excitement of the Live Auction
conducted by Brook Hazelton, Managing Partner of Phillips de Pury & Company by showing off
her own auctioneer skills and selling one of the offered packages twice. The six Live Auction
items raised nearly $300,000.00 and included such exciting packages as tickets to the 2009
Academy Awards and a walk on role in the ABC mega-hit “Desperate Housewives.”
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Jeffrey D. White, M.D.
Bethesda, Maryland
Cheryl L. Willman, M.D.
University of New Mexico
Cancer Research & Treatment Center
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation Staff
Jennifer Ranieri
Director
Christa Justus
Development
136 East 57th Street
Suite 1704
New York, NY 10022
tel (646) 861-2033
fax (646) 781-9355
web www.gabriellesangels.org
Evan Handler, renowned television actor, author and leukemia survivor, gave a moving account of
what it is like to survive acute myeloid leukemia (the same cancer that took the life of Gabrielle
Rich Aouad) and touched on themes of hope and the need for further research. Throughout the
night, Donna D’Cruz spun dance tunes and as guests left the gala, they were treated to the sight
of New York landmark, The Empire State Building, awash in the colors of the Foundation, red
and purple, to commemorate the event and to
help celebrate the Foundation’s commitment
to funding cancer research.
My Bag Cares donated the environmentally
friendly gift bags given to each attendee as
they left the gala, a true celebration of life in
the pursuit of finding a cure.
For more photos from Gabrielle’s Gala,
see pages 4 & 5
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation
for Cancer Research
Medical Research Awards
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for
Cancer Research (formerly The G&P
Foundation) has disbursed $10 million
in Medical Research Awards making
the Foundation one of the largest nongovernmental sources of grant support
to blood cancer researchers at the
nation’s leading institutions. The awards
represent a three-year commitment of
$75,000.00 per year totaling $225,000.00. We proudly support researchers at the
following institutions:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University
Children’s Hospital Boston
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Columbia University
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Harvard University Children’s Hospital
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mayo Clinic
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Stanford University
The University of Chicago
University of Arizona
Angels in our Midst
Thoughts from Our Co-Founder
Dear Friends,
Happy Holidays!
As we wind down another incredible year at Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for
Cancer Research, we give thanks to all of you – Gabrielle’s angels – for helping us
continue our mission of funding the future leaders of cancer research. With the
amazing success of October’s “Gabrielle’s Gala”, we look forward to 2009 with a
renewed sense of hope.
We are excited about our signature fund-raising event, The Angel Ball 2009, which
will take place next fall. We are thrilled to be honoring noted philanthropist and
Chief Executive Officer of Protégé Partners, Jeffrey Tarrant. We are so thankful for
Jeffrey’s past support and look forward to an amazing celebration next year in our
quest for a cure.
One of the Foundation’s biggest accomplishments of which I am most proud is
that 76 cents of every dollar we raise goes directly toward the funding of groundbreaking blood cancer research. This achievement affirms our deep commitment to
see to it that the money you so generously give goes right into the hands of those
searching for cures and less toxic treatments for leukemia, lymphoma and other
blood cancers.
Cancer research truly does save lives and it is our mission to work until the reason
for this Foundation no longer exists; until that beautiful day when cancer is simply a
thing of the past. On behalf of everyone at Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation, my family
and I thank you for putting your faith in the work we so passionately believe in. We
simply could not do it without you.
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy New Year…
Love,
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Francisco
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
University of Florida
University of Michigan
Our Mission Statement
University of Minnesota Cancer Center
University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization, proudly funds leading junior investigators whose
work represents cutting-edge thinking in both conventional
University of Rochester Medical Center
and integrative disciplines which focus on prevention,
University of Texas
treatment and quality of life issues of leukemia, lymphoma and
University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
other related cancers. To date, the Foundation has awarded
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Washington University of St. Louis
$10 million in Medical Research Awards making it one of the
largest non-governmental sources of grant support to blood
cancer researchers at the nation’s leading institutions.
2008 Highlights...
Foundation Pays Visit To Researcher Ari Melnick
On a crisp autumn day, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation paid a visit to 2003 Medical Research
Award Recipient, Dr. Ari Melnick at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. From his office
overlooking the East River, Dr. Melnick graciously took the time to update the Foundation on
the progress of his research which focuses on the killing of lymphomas. The financial support
provided by the Foundation allowed Dr. Melnick and his research team to perform pre-clinical studies to optimize their BCL6 small molecule inhibitor. BCL6 is a master regulator in
the normal immune system. BCL6 mutations cause the functions of this powerful regulatory
protein to become corrupted and cause normal immune cells to turn into lymphomas. As a
consequence, human lymphoma cells are “addicted” to BCL6 and cannot live without it.
With an enormous amount of bench work in the lab, Dr. Melnick’s team took pictures of BCL6
to observe it at the atomic level and understand how it works. These studies revealed that
BCL6 has an “Achilles heel”, which they discovered could be harnessed to create and design
specific inhibitor drugs to block its lymphoma-causing effects. Dr. Melnick and collaborators used a molecular trick learned from the HIV virus to more effectively target the BCL6
inhibitor (called RI-BPI) to the nuclei of lymphoma cells, within which BCL6 carries out its
function.
Grant Recipient Dr. Ari Melnick
Photo: Christa Justus
The encouraging news is that RI-BPI can eradicate lymphomas in mice and further, has no side effects or toxicity even when administered for 52 consecutive weeks. RI-BPI was also remarkably synergistic with currently used lymphoma drugs, suggesting that a
more potent and less toxic form of lymphoma therapy may be just around the corner. What his team did not think possible at the
beginning of their research yielded these extraordinary results, thereby changing the direction and focus of the Melnick laboratory.
With efficacy already proven, Dr. Melnick hopes to have FDA approval for testing in humans within two years. Calling this process of discovery a “learning experience,” Dr. Melnick will turn over the clinical trials to a well-honed team of specialists from
both Weill Cornell and Northwestern University.
“The grant mechanism you have is excellent,” affirmed Dr. Melnick. “[It] covers [junior investigators] at a critical, vulnerable
moment not addressed in the current system.” The current economic climate has already had a significant impact on cancer
researchers across the nation with many doctors’ current grants being eliminated or severely cut. This, coupled with the retreat of
NIH funding, makes the role of Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation more crucial than ever in nurturing the labs of these bold scientists
and encouraging such thrilling discoveries as Dr. Melnick’s.
New York Landmark Lights Up for a Cure!
For the second year in a row, iconic New York landmark, the Empire State Building,
showed its support of blood cancer research on Wednesday, October 22nd in celebration
of “Gabrielle’s Gala.” The 102-story art deco building was awash in the colors of
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation – red and purple – from dusk until well after guests left the
gala at downtown hotspot, Cipriani Wall Street. Earlier in the day, legendary songstress
Patti LaBelle accompanied Co-Founder Denise Rich to the lighting ceremony at the
Midtown skyscraper, known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. “To
have the support of the Empire State Building, such a beacon of our beautiful New York
skyline, means the world to my family and to me,” said Ms. Rich.
1. Denise Rich & Patti LaBelle on the Observation Deck
2. Patti LaBelle greets a young fan
3. Co-Founder Denise Rich celebrates the day
Photos Courtesy of the Empire State Building
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Gabrielle’s Gala
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1. Daniella Rich Kilstock, Denise Rich, Sarah Duchess of York
2. Actress Katrina Bowden
3. Akon and Ashanti strike a pose
4. Friends of the Foundation, Clive Davis & Marty Richards
5. Brook Hazelton leads the Live Auction
6. R&B legend, Gladys Knight wows the crowd
7. Emmy-nominated actress Christy Carlson Romano
8. Board Member Daniella Rich Kilstock & Richard Kilstock
9. Actor Alan Cumming with Denise & Daniella
10. Social Life Magazine Editor, Devorah Rose
11. Mr. & Mrs. Donald Trump, Jr.
12. Donna D’Cruz rocks the house
13. Diddy protégé, singer Donnie Klang
14. Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Nimer pose for the cameras
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15. 785 Records’ own At First Blush
16. Hunt Slonem-designed Audi A5
17. Denise Rich with friend & event sponsor, Lorraine Schwartz
18. Living legend Patti LaBelle shows off her jewels
19. Marty Richards & Mary Theresa Fauci
20.Denise Rich & Star Jones with the evening’s honoree, Howard Lutnick
21. Denise Rich & Michèle Rella
22. Foundation supporters enjoying the evening
23. Singer & actress Christina Milian
24.Teen pop star Tiffany Giardina
25. “Project Runway’s” Nina Garcia
26.Olympic Champion Nastia Liukin
27. Artist Hunt Slonem
28.Gala Co-Chair Michele Herbert walks the red carpet
29.Actor & leukemia survivor Evan Handler
30.Party guests pose for the paparazzi
31. Sir Ivan Wilzig and Mina arrive at the gala
Photo Credits: © Cesar Llacuna 2008; Dimitrios Kambouris & Jason Kempin for WireImage
More 2008 Highlights
Angels on the Runway –
Nicole Miller Supports
Cancer Research
Celebrated
runway designer
Nicole Miller
wears her support
for Gabrielle’s
Angel Foundation
proudly. In
her ongoing
commitment to
funding blood
cancer research
and for the
second year in a
row, Nicole will
donate a portion
of the proceeds
from the sale
of her custom
designed, limited
edition threepiece collection
to the research
initiatives of
Gabrielle’s Angel
Foundation.
Inspired by the
Foundation’s
signature colors
of red and purple,
the ready-to-wear
‘Angel’ Collection
is made of luxurious dry-hand silk jersey
and accented with Nicole Miller’s signature
paisley print and fashionable bell sleeves. Available in all Nicole Miller free standing
stores & fine specialty retailers through the
end of the year, this angel-inspired collection
consist of three designs: a sleeveless wrap
dress ($410), a tunic dress ($385) and a minidress ($345). “Denise Rich has been a wonderful friend to
me for many years. I am delighted to create
this year’s Angel Paisley Dresses to support
and help raise awareness of Gabrielle’s Angel
Foundation for Cancer Research.” For more information, please log on to: www.nicolemiller.com
Kids Making a
Difference…
UK Edition!
Stand Up to Cancer
Lists Foundation
as Resource
Kids the world over
are becoming more
involved with charitable
causes. Gabrielle’s Angel
Foundation Board Member,
Ilona Rich Schachter’s
son, Adrian comes by his
philanthropy honestly. Adrian, a student at the
Harrodian School in
Barnes, England, raised
$400 dollars earlier
this year with a wildly
successful cake sale and
he is already planning
another! Donuts, cupcakes
and brownies were on the
menu and all for a very
good cause. Gabrielle’s
Angel Foundation salutes
Adrian’s efforts in
supporting the ongoing
quest to fund cancer
research until a cure is
found.
Co-Founder Denise Rich maintains
that there is strength in numbers;
that together we are stronger and
together, we can find a cure. The
unprecedented live television event
in September for Stand Up To
Cancer took the nation by storm by
echoing this sentiment in an open
invitation to a charitable nation. Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation
for Cancer Research, one of the
largest non-governmental sources
of grant support for blood cancer
research in the nation, garnered a
coveted listing on the Stand Up To
Cancer website’s resource page.
Stand Up To Cancer shares the goal
of Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation
to fund the most promising
investigative scientists at the
forefront of cancer research and
also the simple belief that together,
we can make a difference.
For more information, please visit:
www.standup2cancer.org
76 cents
of every dollar donated to Gabrielle’s Angel
Foundation goes directly to fund blood cancer research
projects. The Foundation does not keep your money in an
endowment choosing instead to identify the most promising research
with a commitment to the immediate funding of the nation’s
brightest young scientists. Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation wishes to
thank the following ‘angels’ for their generous
support of GABRIELLE’S GALA….
LIVE AUCTION
Lana Marks
Greg Ciccone, GAC Consulting Group
Liana Bergman
Continental Airlines
Liberty Helicopters, Drew Schaefer
Rao’s
Limited Brands
Lorraine Schwartz
SILENT AUCTION
Lissa Fine Jewelry
Tim LoBello
Longchamp USA
785 Records
Lorraine Bracco
27Facets.com
Louis Vuitton
Acupuncture of NYC/Erika Pemberton
Macy’s
Ada de Maurier
Madame Paulette Custom Couture Cleaners
Adria de Haume
Marc Jacobs
Alice + Olivia
Maria and Fernando Allende
Alicia Schulman Jewels
Michael Alsondo
Amen Wardy
Mind Spring
Americana Manhasset
Miss America & Zerosmoke
Arthur Baca & Nikki Tissington
Modell’s
Asprey
Moët Hennessy
Audi of America
Raymond Meier
Azira – Mind Spring
Naeem Khan
Ben Will Studios
Nina McLemore
Fadil Berisha
Norman Rowe, M.D.
BoConcept
Pacific Faceworks
Bobbi Brown
Pamela Johananoff
Bradford Portraits
Patti Brito
Brooks Brothers
Paula Deen
Buzz Aldrin
Peace and Love Jewelry & Nancy Davis
Carnegie Hall
Petra Nemcova
Carol Alt
Philosophy
CHARRIOL
Pleo – the baby robotic dinosaur from UGOBE
Christophe Navarre
Richard Grandinetti
Chloe Crespi
Robin & Mitchell Modell
Cipriani
Rock Ridge Music
Continental Airlines
Rona Landman Interior Design
David Copperfield
Sports Illustrated Kids
Crunch Fitness, Tim Miller
Simmons Jewelry Company
Danica Patrick
Smart Workout
Denise Azira
Soho House New York
Denise Rich
Swarovski
Dennis Basso
The Jonas Brothers
Diane Griswald Johnson
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Diane von Furstenberg
The Producing Office, Kevin McCollum
Dr. Lewis M. Feder
Thompson Hotel, Jason Pomeranc
De Grisogono
Jon Tisch
Dimitri Horta
Tony Hawk
Dr. Dean Ornish
Valery Joseph Salon
Dr. Norman Rowe, M.D.
Vivre
Elizabeth Grant International Inc.
Walt Disney World Co.
Emeril Lagasse
William Morris Agency
ETRO
Wine Enthusiast Companies
Fox Studios & Kimberly Guilfoyle
Yaron Leshem
Gabrielle Reece & Malibu Gym
YES Network
Gilles Bensimon
Yossi Salon
GLA Hotels, Dominique DuBay
Zang Toi
Harper’s BAZAAR
Hilton Hollis
event sponsors
GIFT BAGS
Hunt Slonem
My Bag Cares
illy caffè
785 Records & Denise Rich Songs
Jacob & Co.
James L. Nederlander & Margo McNabb Nederlander
Alaur Skin Solutions, Dr. Albert Lefkovits & Cheryl
Lefkovits
Jet Set AG
Altoids
Jenny Leshem
Audi of America
Jimmy Choo
Completely Bare
We owe our deep gratitude to our
Dinner Chair, Gala Co-Chair Committee,
staff members and volunteers for their
hard work and dedication in making
GABRIELLE’S GALA a success.
Cumming Fragrance and Body Lotion
Dr. Suzanne M. Levine, DPM
Elizabeth Grant International Inc.
eos, evolution of smooth
GoSmile
illy caffè
Inka Dornemann
Madame Paulette Custom Couture Cleaners
Henry Lambertz & Co.
Laura Geller
MAC Cosmetics
Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Haircare
Noreen & Peter Thomas Roth
Serendipity 3
Space NK
Star Caps by Nikki Haskell
Tracy Stern SALONTEA
YogaPro – Julie Ferri / Dr. Suzanne Levine
Pleo – the baby robotic dinosaur from UGOBE
Stacey S. Schieffelin and David R. Schieffelin
SPANX
SPECIAL THANKS
Talent Air Transportation provided by Continental Airlines
Talent Ground Transportation provided by Audi of America
Talent Hotel provided by:
The Chambers, Trump International Hotel & Tower,
Bryant Park Hotel
Security provided by Mike Zimet Enterprises, Inc.
Music by Donna D’Cruz
Voice-Over Talent by Joe Justus
Celebrate the Spirit
of the Giving Season
• Complete your holiday shopping online and help support cancer research!
Our friends at Charitybuzz.com will host a special holiday auction to benefit
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation. Check out all the exciting items up for grabs
such as tickets to Tony-winning Broadway hit, “In the Heights” to pit passes
and a meet & greet with racing sensation Danica Patrick to field tickets to
the all-new Yankee Stadium. Get in the holiday spirit by giving back – shop
Charitybuzz.com today in support of our quest to end cancer in our lifetime.
www.charitybuzz.com
• If braving the holiday crowds at the mall proves too daunting, why not shop
online through GOODSEARCH.com and help raise money for cancer research
while you do? By accessing your favorite online stores through the Goodshop
feature, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation can earn up to 4% on all purchases. Simply
choose Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation in “Who Do You Goodshop For?” then click
on your favorite store’s website and shop! With over 600 participating stores
including Amazon, Staples, Macy’s, Gap and more, making a difference in the lives
of others has never been easier with Goodshop.com! www.goodsearch.com
• Our research initiatives are supported through the generosity of our donors.
Help Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation achieve its year-end financial goals by giving
the gift of funding the future leaders of cancer research. Your gift is tax-deductible
and we will be happy to send an acknowledgment of your donation to your
special loved one. Whether made on-line or by mail, thank you for remembering
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation when making your year-end contributions.
www.gabriellesangels.org
New Home on the Web
www.gabriellesangels.org
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation not only has
a new name, we also have a new website!
Designed by Rodriguez Creative, our
sleek new look offers a more user-friendly
navigation system while keeping you
up-to-date on all the latest Foundation
news. New name, new site, new look – let
us know what you think when you visit:
www.gabriellesangels.org
Join Our Cause Page
On Facebook
Social networking on the web is at an alltime high and philanthropic organizations
are the better for it. With more young
people than ever getting involved and
giving back, charities are increasingly
turning to the web to build support
and raise much-needed funds. Join the
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer
Research Cause Page on Facebook today
at www.facebook.com
Resources For
Cancer Patients
Look Good...Feel Better offers a free
program that helps improve the self-image,
appearance, and quality of life of people
undergoing cancer treatment by teaching
beauty techniques to help them cope with
the appearance related consequences
of cancer treatment and restore their
appearance and self-confidence through
active learning in group, one-on-one, or
self help situations. To learn more about
the services Look Good...Feel Better
provides in your area, visit them online
at: www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org
“The last thing I’d like to touch on is a concept that sums up what an event like tonight is
really all about, and that’s the concept of hope. …Back when I was ill, I was confronted with
cautions against another concept known as “false hope.” It’s a concept, and a distinction, I
completely reject. …I can tell you, unequivocally, that there is no such thing as “false hope.” It’s
an oxymoron. It can’t exist. Hope has no connotations of certainty. Hope carries no assurance
of success. Hope is the one thing in this world that can never, ever, be false. Hope is just exactly
what it says. A longing. A desire. I don’t believe there is any such thing as a false, aching desire.
… I hope, as I stand before you tonight, that the fact of my existence might inspire hope in
others that they can achieve their own hopes and dreams.”
Evan Handler – Actor, Author, and Leukemia Survivor; Gabrielle’s Gala 2008. Evan’s book It’s
Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive is available at Amazon.com
or through his website: www.evanhandler.com.