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New York, NY
(November 12, 2015) -
Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) hosted
its ‘Collaborating
for a Cure’ Benefit
Dinner and Auction, honoring fashion designer John
Varvatos, and featured a special musical performance by
legendary American Singer-Songwriter John
Fogerty, on Thursday,
November 12, 2015 at Cipriani
Wall Street. The annual event, now in its eighteenth
year, raised $2.5 million to support the Waxman Foundation’s
research efforts to produce a cure for cancer.
Notable attendees
included Dr.
Samuel Waxman (Founder
and CEO, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Marion
Waxman; Michael
and Elin Nierenberg (18th Annual
Collaborating for a Cure Hosts); Chris
Wragge (Co-Anchor
of CBS 2 News This Morning); John
Varvatos (Honoree;
Fashion Designer John Varvatos); John
Fogerty (Special
Musical Guest); Spencer
Waxman (President,
Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Cristina
Cuomo (Presenter;
Editor-In-Chief, Manhattan Magazine); Hugh
Hildesley (Executive
Vice President & Auctioneer, Sotheby’s); Kenneth
Fishel (Board
of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); David
Hinkelman (Board
of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Howard
Kurz (Board of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research
Foundation); Robert
Kantor (Board
of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Howard
Shlafmitz (Board
of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Baron
Silverstein (Board
of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Mary
Kantor (Honorary
Board Member, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Dena
K. Weiner (Board
of Directors, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation); Ruth
Finley (Founder,
Fashion Calendar); Coppy
Holzman (Founder
& CEO, Charity Buzz); David
Burke (Chef,
The Wayfarer) and Jean
Shafiroff (Philanthropist).
This year’s event
was attended by more than 750 corporate executives, board
members and their guests. The money raised will support the
Waxman Foundation’s research efforts to produce a cure for
cancer by reprogramming cancer cells and to deliver
tailored, minimally toxic treatments to patients. The
scientists funded by the SWCRF have made significant
breakthroughs in cancer research, including identifying
pathways to deliver novel therapies to treat cancer.
SWCRF Chairman and Collaborating
for a Cure host Michael
Nierenberg gave
opening remarks welcoming attendees to the Dinner & Auction
and thanked the SWCRF’s many supporters for their continued
efforts to raise funds for cancer research. The evening’s
Master of Ceremonies Chris
Wragge then
took the stage to introduce Dr.
Samuel Waxman whose
remarks highlighted the importance of investing in cancer
research and developing less toxic therapies for cancer
patients of all ages, which is a large part of the SWCRF’s
mission. After dinner, Wragge introduced Cristina
Cuomo, Editor-In-Chief
of Manhattan and Beach Magazine, to present the SWCRF
Fashion Cares Award to John
Varvatos. In
accepting his award, Varvatos lauded Dr. Waxman’s work and
the research of the SWCRF. He also shared that his father
battled leukemia, his sister underwent a double mastectomy
and his brother recently received a prostate cancer
diagnosis.
The evening’s
exciting live auction, which was led by Hugh
Hildesley, Executive Vice President of Sotheby’s Auction
House. Guests the opportunity to bid on exclusive items such
as: a $10,000 shopping spree and lunch with John
Varvatos which
sold for $17,000; anAmerica’s
Cup Yacht Race experience captained
by former America’s Cup Team Members, sold twice for
$10,000; a private wine tasting at Italian Wine Merchants
for $17,000; an exclusive opportunity to meet John
Fogerty and
receive a flannel shirt autographed by the legendary rock
star, which sold to the highest bidder for $10,000. The
highest bid of the night, $60,000, went to a five day, four
night stay for 10 people at the Ian Fleming Villa at the
GoldenEye Hotel in Jamaica via private jet. Other travel
packages included a CMH 4-day Heli-skiing trip for 2 in
Canada sold for $17,000; A Milwaukee Bucks experience
including G4 flight to a game and team memorabilia, which
sold twice for $20,000 and an Italian wine and truffle
adventure in Italy donated by Palm Bay International, which
went for $32,000.
Online auction
items, which will be available for bidding online at CharityBuzz.com until
November 24, 2015 include: Private
Suite for 24 People to See the NFL’s New York Jets vs. New
England Patriots on December 27, 2015 at MetLife Stadium;
6-Day/5-Night Charter of the Lady Tatiana of London or Lady
Alhena of London for up to 11 Guests; Victory:
A Song of Thanksgiving, 1968 Signed Lithograph by
Salvador Dali and 2 Tickets to the Tadashi Shoji Fall/Winter
2016 Runway Show at New York Fashion Week in February Plus
a Dress to Wear to the Show.
After the auction,
guests were treated to an exclusive, live performance by John
Fogerty, who performed hits from his solo career and
from his legendary run as lead singer of Creedence
Clearwater Revival.
Known
affectionately by New Yorkers as “The Waxman,” the yearly
fête is considered to be among the top fundraising events in
New York City. In recent years, “The Waxman” has raised
several million dollars to support the Waxman Foundation’s
research efforts to produce a cure for cancer. Past musical
performers at the Waxman Gala have included the Warren
Hayes Band, Kid
Rock, Chevy
Chase, Steely
Dan, Glenn
Frey, Joe
Walsh, Sheryl
Crow, Ziggy
Marley and Counting
Crows.
The Event Chairs
were: Lynn
and Wes Edens, Katie and Scott
Eichel, Kristen and Johan Eveland, Maria and Kenneth
Fishel, Mary
Henry and Howard
Rubin, Diane and Adam
Katz, Nancy and Howard
Kurz, Randal
Nardone, Elin and Michael
Nierenberg, Maraand Baron Silverstein, Linda Taub,
Sandy and Marc
Taub, Bettina and Spencer
Waxman and Lauren
Zwak and James DeMare.
The Dinner
Committee included: Eve and Brant
Brooks, Sarah and Brian
Chin, Tracy and Frank
Collins, Staci and Andrew
Friedwald, Samantha
Santiago and Steve
Jones, Andrew
Sloves, Nicholas Smith, Laurie and Joseph
Steffa, Charles Sorrentino, Marion
and Samuel Waxman, M.D., Dena K. Weiner and David
Rozenholc, Amy and Matt
Zisette.
The Auction
Committee included: Nancy
Loving and David
Hinkelman and Deborah and Howard
Shlafmitz.
Samuel Waxman
Cancer Research Foundation Board:
CHAIRMAN: Michael
Nierenberg
PRESIDENT: Spencer
Waxman
VICE PRESIDENTS: Howard
Kurz, Dena K. Weiner
TREASURER: Thomas
A. Conway
SECRETARY: Laurie
L. Schaffran
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS: Dale
Claman, Kenneth Fishel, James E. Frankel, Gary Gladstein,
Clifford Greenberg, Dennis A. Herman, Linda Herman, David
Hinkelman, Gary Jacob, Robert Kantor, Matthew Lyons, Howard
Shlafmitz. Tony M. Shogren, Baron Silverstein, Riva Ariella
Ritvo-Slifka, Samuel Waxman, M.D.
HONORARY BOARD: Maureen
Cogan, Martin L. Coyne, Mary Kantor, Abner Levine**, Mildred
Levine, Susan W. Rose, Alan P. Safir *, Joan A. Safir *,
Edwin C. Scheurer**, Alfred J. Seaman**, Zena Wiener
CHAIRMAN’S
COUNCIL: Lawrence
Altman, Peter Claman, Ruth Finley, Arminio Fraga, Betsey
Johnson, Costas Kondylis, Thomas Marano, J. Jay Mautner,
Tadashi Shoji, Bernard Sillins
* Past
Chair **Deceased
About Samuel Waxman
Cancer Research Foundation:
The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is an
international organization dedicated to curing and
preventing cancer. The Foundation is a pioneer in cancer
research and its mission is to eradicate cancer by funding
cutting-edge research that identifies and corrects abnormal
gene function that causes cancer and develops minimally
toxic treatments for patients. Through the Foundation’s
collaborative group of world-class scientists, the Institute
Without Walls, investigators share information and tools to
speed the pace of cancer research. Since its inception in
1976, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation has
awarded approximately $90 million to support the work of
more than 200 researchers across the globe.
For more information, visit: www.waxmancancer.org.
Like SWCRF on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and
Instagram: @WaxmanCancer.
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