SEATTLE, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- A "challenge donation" appeal at last
night's Hutch Holiday Gala helped push the total funds raised to more than
$4.2 million for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
The annual black-tie Gala is the largest fundraiser for the Hutchinson
Center. The event took place from 5 p.m. until midnight at the Seattle
Sheraton Hotel.
"Help the Hutch" is the portion of the live auction during which every
dollar donated is matched by challenge donors. One of those donors was
Susie Morganti of Bellevue, Wash., who lost her husband, Johnny, to cancer
last summer after 73 years of marriage. Following Johnny's death, Susie
decided to donate $500,000 in memory of her husband and a late niece,
Jackie Bylund. Morganti, who yesterday celebrated her 95th birthday, said
she was inspired by the prospect of leveraging more donations for cancer
research.
"We were pleased to present the Hutch Holiday Gala challenge in honor
of loved ones we've lost," said Gary Bylund, Morganti's nephew and family
spokesperson. "In one way or another, most of us have experienced life
changes because of cancer. The Hutch Holiday Gala is our opportunity to
positively impact cancer research at the Center, and thereby the lives of
our family and friends."
Dr. Lee Hartwell, president and director of the Hutchinson Center, said
donations such as Morganti's are essential to help Center scientists make
discoveries that improve the future of human health.
"We are so fortunate that our guests recognize the power of private
support in the fight against cancer," Hartwell said. "Through the Hutch
Holiday Gala, we partner with these generous families and others in the
community to empower our science against cancer and other diseases."
Gala patrons also opened their pocketbooks for lavish live-auction
packages such as dinner for 20 with the Hutchinson Center's three Nobel
laureates, which sold for $26,000; a Lake Union cruise and scavenger hunt
with four distinguished winemakers, which sold for $19,000; a VIP
behind-the-scenes trip to the Indianapolis 500, which sold for $13,000; and
an Alaskan king crab dinner prepared by Seattle chef Tom Douglas and
attended by Capt. Sig Hansen of The Discovery Channel's reality show
"Deadliest Catch," which sold for $20,000.
The evening's festivities included the presentation of the 2007
Distinguished Community Service Award to philanthropists and longtime
Hutchinson Center supporters J. Orin Edson and his wife, Charlene A. Edson.
"We are proud to help the Hutchinson Center in the quest to eradicate
cancer," Mr. Edson said. "It is a difficult and expensive task that
deserves support from all concerned individuals and businesses. The
Hutchinson Center is a place with excellent leadership, exceptional
facilities and the very best scientists to effect change against the
sadness caused by cancer."
Presented by the Hutchinson Center's Grace Heffernan Arnold Guild and
the Hutch Holiday Gala board of trustees, the Hutch Holiday Gala featured
live and silent auctions, an elegant dinner and late-night dancing with
more than 850 business and community leaders in attendance. Over the past
three decades the Gala has raised more than $58 million in support of key
research initiatives, patients, and family programs at the Hutchinson
Center.
To learn more about the Hutch Holiday Gala, call (206) 667-5492 or
visit http://www.hutchgala.com. More information about the Hutchinson
Center is available at http://www.fhcrc.org.
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams
of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent,
diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers,
including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for
health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more
information, please visit http://www.fhcrc.org.
CONTACT
Christi Ball Loso
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org
SOURCE Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.fhcrc.org
http://www.hutchgala.com
CONTACT:
Christi Ball Loso of Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center, +1-206-667-5215, closo@fhcrc.org
|
