Faces of Hope gala assists in fight against cancer
Two seconds.
Two seconds is all it took for guests at the Hillman Cancer Center Faces of Hope Gala to realize just how far-reaching the disease can be when entertainer Chris Mann asked the 960 in attendance to stand if they knew someone affected by cancer, and 95 percent of the room rose from their seats.
“Everything good about this fight against cancer is because of the people here in this room,” said PNC Bank Pittsburgh prez Sy Holzer, who co-chaired Friday's event at Consol Energy Center with his wife, Cathy, and Elsie and Henry Hillman. “The progress over this past decade has been nothing short of remarkable.”
Remarkable, indeed. Benefiting the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC CancerCenter to the tune of more than $1 million, the event included a powerful testimonial from survivor Amy Dolan-Malaney, who thanked her doctors for another chance to “live every day to the fullest.”
Amongst the who's who were gala chairs John andBecky Surma and Christina andCarlos Cardoso, UPCI and UPMC Cancer Center Director Dr.NancyDavidson andThomas Kensler, Gov. Tom Corbett and first lady Susan, UPMC CancerCenter chair Dr. Stanley andNikol Marks, Sally Levin, Kim andCurt Fleming, Athena Sarris, Dr. Arthur Levine and Linda Melada, Dr. DavidandSusan Bartlett, Dr. Steven Shapiro, Anne Lewis andJim Zeszutek, Bonnie andTom VanKirk, Ira andNanette Gordon, Deb Wheeler, Vanessa andDavid Morehouse, Mary Ann and Chuck Bogosta, Dr. Adamand Jill Brufsky, and Distinguished Scholar Awardee Dr. Mark Socinski.
