CancerCare hosted its Annual Spring Gala year on Thursday, June 14 at The Mandarin Oriental in New York City. The evening, which honored Golden Globe winning actress and Harlem resident S. Epatha Merkerson for her cancer advocacy work, raised over $520,000 to benefit the nonprofit organization’s professional free support services, which are available to anyone affected by cancer.
Ms. Merkerson is best known for her portrayal of NYPD Lieutenant Anita Van Buren in the long-running NBC drama series, “Law and Order.” Fans of the show will recall Van Buren’s diagnosis of cervical cancer during the series’ final season that shed light on the challenges of a cancer diagnosis.
The celebratory event kicked off with a cocktail reception, with Board of Trustees President Susan S. Smirnoff, Chief Executive Officer Helen H. Miller, Committee Chairs Cornelia and Rob Spring, and Committee members H. Frank Doroff, John N. Evans, Renata and Flavio Figueiredo, Susan and Paul Friedman, Lisa and Robert Gerbino, Barbara and Kevin McLaughlin, Marsha J. Palanci, Edward C. Lauber, and Annette and Drew Pizzo. Guests included Beth and Tim Dwyer, Morton Ginsberg and Linda Loye, Christina Caruso of Tic Tac, Michele Gallagher of Panerai and Alfredo Martel of Caribou.
Sotheby’s auctioneer C. Hugh Hildesley led a live auction that included two tickets to the 2013 Emmy Awards, and a five-night stay for two in a pied-à-terre in Paris. Award-Winning Actress Whoopi Goldberg then took the stage to present S. Epatha Merkerson with this year’s Help and Hope Award, honoring her longstanding commitment to cancer advocacy.
Bloomingdale’s, Collection 18, the Gerbino Family Foundation, Janssen Biotech, John N. Evans and the Partners of Marks Paneth and Shron LLP, Medivation, Millennium, Novocure, Oglivy CommonHealth Worldwide and Ralph Lauren were the official sponsors of the 2012 Annual Spring Gala. To learn more about CancerCare and to find out how you can support the cause, please visit www.cancercare.org.
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