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Last night’s Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) Breaking
Through Gala was the most successful in the history
of the organization raising $7.5 million – double that of
any previous year — for lupus research. The hundreds
attending the hybrid festivities in-person at the Ziegfeld
Ballroom and online were inspired by heartfelt messages
from Gala Honorary Chairs Selena
Gomez and Michael
R. Bloomberg that highlighted the urgent need for
further lupus research. Personally committed to advancing
lupus scientific discovery, Gala Honoree, Blackstone
executive, and devoted LRA Board member Nadeem
Meghji was particularly instrumental in securing
extraordinarily generous donations for this spectacular
event.
NBC’s Willie Geist and Star Selena Gomez
Interview LRA Young Leaders
Taking part in a dynamic
talk-show format led by event MC and NBC Today
Show host Willie
Geist, Selena
Gomez expressed her enormous gratitude to LRA’s
contributions to the breakthroughs that are improving
treatments for lupus. As part of the talk-show format, Mr.
Geist and Ms.
Gomez interviewed Young Leaders Board members:
video producer Adrienne
Nicole; actor Martin
Lewis; and IBM Associate Partner, Global Business
Services and LRA Board member Veronica
Vargas Lupo. Each shared their own experiences with
lupus and the hope they derive from the organization’s
groundbreaking achievements.
Dedicated Lupus Leader Nadeem Meghji Honored
Blackstone President and
Chief Operating Officer Jonathan
Gray described Mr. Meghji’s tremendous professional
drive exemplified in his dedication to accelerating lupus
research on behalf of his 18-year-old niece Aaliya
Qassim, whose childhood was taken away by the
disease, and her dad Ovais
Qassim, who has lived with lupus for years.
Thanking everyone in the room for the
evening’s record-breaking success, Mr. Meghji commented,
“This wasn’t a fight my family picked, but it has become a
fight we are completely committed to winning with the help
of the entire lupus community. To help Aaliya, Ovais, and
millions of other lupus sufferers to one day live healthy
lives, our family chose to support the Lupus Research
Alliance as our best hope for accelerating discovery of
safer, more effective lupus treatments. I’m confident that
the funds we’ve raised tonight will lead to further
breakthroughs.”
In a special tribute video, Ms. Qassim explained
why her Uncle Nadeem is so special. “I try hard to forget
many of the details of my journey. But there is one part I
will always remember. The way you’ve been with me every step
along the way. Tonight, the Lupus Research Alliance is
recognizing you for being a champion for lupus research, but
I’m recognizing you for always being by my side.”
Special Supporters Recognized for
Contributions to Lupus Community
Remarks by Gala
Co-chair, LRA
Co-Founder, former UK Ambassador and NY Jets Chairman, the
Honorable Robert Wood (Woody) Johnson IV; Board
Co-Chair and Director at Bloomberg Richard
K. DeScherer; and LRA President/CEO Kenneth
M. Farber congratulated the many supporters who
have made 2021 a banner year for lupus research progress
including AstraZeneca, Aurinia
Pharmaceuticals and GSK as
the companies responsible for expanding much-needed
treatment options. Philanthropist Michael R.
Bloomberg also expressed his long-standing belief
in and support for the work of the LRA on behalf of his
close friend LRA Board member Jennie
DeScherer.
Personally acknowledged were 2020 Gala
Honorees lupus advocate Jenny
Zwick and Solamere Capital Co-Founder and Managing
Partner Spencer
Zwick. LRA leadership also applauded all the donors
who remained dedicated to the lupus cause despite the
COVID-19 pandemic and a particularly challenging fundraising
year.
The LRA is also grateful to our 2021 Gala
Co-Chairs for their hard work that made the event so
successful: Board of Directors Co-Chairs Ira
Akselrad, President of The Johnson Company and Richard
K. DeScherer; as well as Super Bowl Champion Willie
Colon; Founder/CEO Osso Capital LLC Olivia
John; The
Honorable Robert Wood Johnson IV; LRA Board member
and lupus advocate Molly
McCabe; Chairman/CEO iHeartMedia, Inc. Robert
W. Pittman; Chairman First Washington Realty, Inc. William
J. Wolfe; Managing Director of the Real Estate
Group at Blackstone Eric
Wu; lupus advocate Jenny
Zwick; and Spencer
Zwick, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Solamere
Capital.
A Night to Celebrate Progress
Unifying the community in
celebration, performances included rousing renditions of
such heartening songs as Come
Together, We Are
Family, and Reunited!
While in-person guests were invited to enjoy dinner and
after-party to the tunes of DJ
True Blends, online participants caught the spirit
with Broadway leading lady Kelli
O’Hara singing My
Fair Lady hit I
Could Have Danced All Night.
Even the iconic Empire
State Building added to the night’s excitement,
spotlighting the importance of lupus research by
illuminating NYC’s skyline in the LRA’s colors red and
purple.
Last night’s program can be viewed online
here using the PIN LRA21. Continued donations are
welcomed. The Lupus Research Alliance thanks the worldwide
lupus community for their ongoing support of the innovative
research needed to deliver new treatments and a cure.
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