Breast Cancer is a disease that affects millions of lives across the world, and it’s always good to see organizations out there who are doing their best to minimize the amount of diagnoses on a yearly basis. One of the best examples of this is the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, who held their 2017 Symposium and Awards Luncheon this past Thursday at the New York Hilton Midtown.
The much-anticipated event honored BCRF-funded investigators who are devoted to ending breast cancer through groundbreaking research. The foundation goes above and beyond what is normally done to ensure that breast cancer one day becomes a thing of the past.
TODAY Show co-host and breast cancer survivor Hoda Kotb hosted the event with her usual upbeat personality and spoke about her uplifting story about when she found out that she was diagnosed. The important lesson she taught was to get rid of all the bad things in her life, and focus on the good one. The best joke of them all, “I got a divorce,” which was met with thunderous laughter and applause.
The day began with a symposium discussion, “Conquering Cancer: Breast Cancer and Beyond,” moderated by Judy E. Garber, MD, MPH, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Chair of the BCRF Scientific Advisory Board, and the panelists included Nancy E. Davidson, MD; Jedd Wolchok, MD, PHD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; and, Antonio Wolff, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Symposium Honorary Co-Chairs include Kinga Lampert,Leonard A. Lauder, William P. Lauder and Rita Wilson. Event Co-Chairs include Roberta M. Amon, Anne H. Bass, Clarissa Alcock Bronfman, Amy Goldman Fowler, Marjorie Reed Gordon, Betsy S. Green, Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger, Gail Hilson, Aerin Lauder, Marigay McKee, Wendi Rose, Arlene Taub and Simone Winston. Notable guests included Rachel Bay Jones, Francesca Curran, Nina Garcia, Bruce and Leslie Gifford, Kimiko Glenn, Sandra Lee, Nastia Liukin, Joan Lunden, Gary Muto,Emma Myles, Orfeh, Lela Rose and Nina Runsdorf.
The event wound up raising $2.5 million dollars for Breast Cancer research, which is a record for the BCRF. What’s even better, the luncheon also served as the formal announcement of $59.5 million in research grants that was awarded to more than 275 scientists, many of whom were in attendance. Here’s to going above and beyond for next year’s event.
For more information on the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, please check out their official website.