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Los Angeles, CA –
The Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies,
affectionately known as the ABCs, hosted its annual,
star-studded Mother’s Day Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel
at Beverly Hills, May 4, 2016 to benefit breast and prostate
cancer research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at
Providence Saint John’s Health Center. The afternoon honored
attorney Gloria Allred and award-winning actresses Donna
Mills and Lorraine Toussaint with the organization’s Women
of Achievement Award.
Actress, comedienne
Cocoa Brown, emceed. The event showcased an informal fashion
show by Grayse and a luxury boutique featuring a fashionable
array of select vendors donating a portion of proceeds from
their sales to the organization.
Event co-chairs Beverly Cohen and Sheri Rosenblum welcomed
over 300 guests, thanking them for their support of the ABCs
and recognizing that “cancer has touched so many of our
lives, and we need to work together to fund research for
better and safer treatments and ultimately a cure. That is
the goal of the ABCs.”
Host Cocoa Brown, shared personal stories of how cancer had
touched her life and noted that since their founding, the
ABCs have raised over $15 million dollars for breast and
prostate cancer research at the Institute. She then
introduced Gloria Gebbia, president of the ABCs, who
dedicated the luncheon to long-time supporter Elaine Lerman
who passed away two months ago.
Vice president of
talent at Innovative Arts Jonathan Howard presented the
first Women of Achievement Award to Lorraine Toussaint.
Toussaint, best known for her thrilling performance as the
seductive inmate “Vee” on the smash hit Netflix series
“Orange is the New Black,” is a Screen Actors Guild and
Critics Choice Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in a
Drama Series. She currently stars in FOX’s new drama series,
“Rosewood,” and will star in the upcoming feature film
“COCO.”
Patrick Wayne,
chairman of the board of the John Wayne Cancer Institute and
son of the legendary actor John Wayne, presented the second
Women of Achievement Award to actress and producer Donna
Mills. Mills is best known for her role on the prime-time
soap opera “Knots Landing,” which made her a household name
and one of TV’s biggest stars. Mills continued to headline
in television films, several which she produced, often
highlighting important social issues. In 2014, Mills joined
the cast of the long-running daytime soap opera “General
Hospital.”
Former Los Angeles
deputy district attorney Lea Purwin D’Agostino presented the
third Women of Achievement Award to her friend Gloria
Allred. Allred is founding partner of the law firm Allred,
Maroko & Goldberg (AM&G). The firm handles more women’s
rights cases than any other private firm in the nation and
has won hundreds of millions of dollars for victims. Over
the course of her 40-year legal career, Allred has won
countless honors for her pioneering legal work on behalf of
women’s rights and rights for minorities.
About the ABCs
The Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies (ABCs)
was formed 26 years ago by a group of dedicated
philanthropists who had originally been associated with the
Eddie Cantor Charitable Foundation, an organization that
supported a variety of causes. These individuals wanted to
devote all their charitable efforts and resources to
eradicating cancer and unanimously chose to support
progressive and innovative breast cancer and prostate cancer
research at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Today the ABCs
are over 150 members strong and growing. They dedicate their
efforts to funding research in breast and prostate cancer at
the Institute, and since 1990, have raised over $15 million.
For more information, please visit
www.abcjw.com.
About the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint
John’s Health Center
Since 1981, the family of John Wayne has been committed to
pioneering cancer research in memory of their father, who
died of cancer. For more than 30 years, the courageous and
dedicated researchers at the John Wayne Cancer Institute
have made groundbreaking discoveries that have changed the
way cancer is detected, diagnosed and treated around the
world. Today the tradition of excellence continues as the
Institute spearheads new research advances, while training
the next generation of leaders in the fight against cancer
through its renowned Surgical Oncology Fellowship
Program. The Institute’s programs focus on melanoma, breast,
neuro, prostate and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as
innovative research in cancer genomics, molecular
biomarkers, and chemo- and immunotherapies. With its unique
ability to rapidly turn scientific discoveries into novel
approaches for early detection and treatment, the Institute
provides immediate hope to cancer patients everywhere. For
more information, please visit
www.JWCIgiving.org. |