“This is world-class,” said Hillman Cancer Center gala honorary chair Sy Holzer. “It's what makes Pittsburgh world class. This is what we are and what we expect.”
Also world class? The whopping $6.3 million dollars the signature event raised, in addition to the 800 guests it drew to the bowl of Consol Energy Center on Sept. 29.
“You would not even know you're on ice right now,” Holzer joked.
Under the spell of a room that absolutely dazzled the senses from start to finish, it was up to jazz artist Max Leake and Cello Fury to keep the stage hot for featured performer and singer-songwriter Judith Hill, whose parents, Robert “Pee Wee” andMichiko Hill, played with the band.
“My mother is a cancer survivor,” Hill explained. “There's so much to be thankful for.”
The evening included a presentation of the Dr. Stanley Marks OHA Endowed Chair in Hematology/Oncology Leadership to its namesake, who is also chairman of UPMC CancerCenter.
“I was so surprised. I just found out on Friday and they'd been planning it for a year,” Marks said.
A Future Without Cancer also celebrated 30 years of innovative cancer research and discovery here in Pittsburgh.
“We have a lot to celebrate, but we still have work to do,” said University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute director Dr. Nancy Davidson.
On the guest list were co-chairs Leslie andJim Rutherford andDiane andCliff Rowe, UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff and wifeStefania, Athena Sarris, Dr. Arthur Levine andLinda Melada, Deb Wheeler, Mary Crawford, Dick Durr, Rebecca Cost Snyder, 2016 PNC Elsie Hillman Distinguished Scholar Dr. David Bartlett, Audrey andTim Fisher, Dr. Steven Shapiro, Dr. Barry Lembersky, Dr. Pervaiz Rahman, Dr. Kiran Rajasenan andDavid andVanessa Morehouse.
Kate Benz is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
