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HOUSTON,
TEXAS – Internationally
accomplished philanthropist, author and art patron
Dr. Carolyn Farb,
hc and Blue Cure Foundation Founder and President, Gabe
Canales, co-chaired The Fred and Mabel R. Parks
Inaugural Lectureship Series event. The luncheon
and silent auction took place on Friday, September 27, 2013
at the Hotel ZaZa Houston. NBC KHOU News Anchor Dominique
Sachse did a masterful job as Mistress of Ceremonies. The
program flowed smoothly and enjoyably.
Dr. Rod
Paige received the Inaugural
Blue Cure Foundation Award for his extraordinary
service to our country as one of the finest individuals who
began his brilliant career as a classroom teacher, advancing
to become Houston Independent School District
Superintendent, and serving as the 7th United
States Secretary of Education. Henceforth, the annual Blue
Cure Award will be named in honor of Dr. Rod Paige, who is a
member of
the Blue Cure
Foundation Board and a prostate cancer survivor. At
the event, guests wished “Happy Birthday” to Dr. Paige on
the occasion of his 80th birthday.
Gabe Canales, also a
prostate cancer survivor, introduced guest speaker Dr.
Margaret Cuomo, MD, author of A World Without
Cancer, who provided a look at how profit,
personalities, and politics obstruct real progress toward
prevention, cure of the disease, and what individuals can do
to live a cancer-free life.
Blue Cure
educates families and their loved ones with the
knowledge of healthier dietary and lifestyle habits to
significantly become proactive in the war against all
cancers- especially prostate cancer. Today in the United
States, one out of two men is diagnosed with cancer; one out
of three women is diagnosed with cancer; and one out of four
Americans die due to some form of cancer. Yet, according to
the National Cancer Institute, more than half of all cancers
are preventable. Blue Cure’s mission is to
prevent cancer before it begins and to reach a younger
generation with the life-saving message of prevention.
Some of the guests
and supporters in attendance were fashion designer Jonathan
Blake, Mary and Tony Gracely, Vern Montross of Bernstein
Global Management, Reverend and Mrs. Joe Samuel Ratliff of
Brentwood Baptist Church, Jonathan Pursch of Frost Bank,
Deborah M. Colton, Betty Hrncir, Minute Maid’s Fred Arnold,
Ben Hall III and Saundra Hall, Beth Wolff and Ed Wolff, Dr.
Robert Ivany, Maidie Ryan, Dr. Jack Christie, Lily and
Charles Foster, Sylvia and Gordon Quan, Jose and Daphne
Rincon, David and Alviz Sierra, Jim McClellan of the Fred
and Mabel R. Parks Foundation, Peter Remington, Brad Deutser,
Elizabeth and Glenn Howard, Winell Herron of H-E-B, Brandon
and Cindi Coleman, Thomas and Anna Au of Poung Au Design,
and Lee Slataper. Contributions were made in honor of Dr.
Paige from the Edythe and Eli Broad Foundation, Richard
Weekly, and the Fant Foundation.
Magic happened when
Judge Eric Andell stopped in to auction the singular Live
Auction item- a three-night, four-day all-inclusive trip for
two to Merida, Mexico, at the Presidente Intercontinental
Merida Hotel (including golfing, green fees, and round-trip
airfare from Aeromexico, donated by Patricia Herrera in
memory of her late husband, Rafael, who lost his brave
battle to prostate cancer). Initially, George Mickelis of
the iconic Cleburne Cafeteria was the high bidder on the
package at $4,000 and generously passed it back for
re-auction; then Elizabeth Howard won it for $3,500 and also
passed it back; the final winning bid of the package went
to MD Anderson urologist, Dr. John Papadopoulos, who bid
$3,000, bringing the grand total to $10,500.
Auction items
included, a photograph by Jay Rusovich, donated by Deborah
Colton Gallery. Other items included: “Blue Cure Boot”
painting by artist Billy Miller, two personally inscribed
copies of Decision Points by President George W.
Bush; four tickets to the Houston Texans vs. New England
Patriots game donated by NFL Texans Pro Bowl Player Chris
Myers and wife Jenny; a Corner Table three-course dinner for
10; a Q Clothier custom made sport coat; and a Billy Reid
canvas tote bag, among others. High-bidders Damian and
Jessica Garza were delighted to take home the BellaVetra Van
Gogh hand-cut mosaic tile of Armand Roulin.
In a letter written
to Dr. Rod Paige by President George W. Bush in Blue Cure’s
tribute and read aloud by co-chair Carolyn Farb, the
President thanked everyone for their efforts to increase
prostate cancer awareness, prevention and promote healthy
living.
Guests lunched on a
specially created menu from ZaZa Chef Jeff Axline - divine
and healthy – punctuated by a chocolate flourless cake with
a Chambord-raspberry coulis sprinkled with berries. In true
Carolyn Farb style, no detail was overlooked from the
enchanting pale blue hydrangeas in crystal bowls donated by
Kroger to the black chiavari chairs and linens by
Distinctive Details.
Dr. Carolyn Farb
stated, “I became involved with the Blue Cure
Foundation when I met Gabe Canales. He is an amazing
individual and prostate cancer survivor who has almost
single handedly created this
lifestyle prostate cancer
movement which focuses on prevention, education, and
support. The generous outpouring of support from our
community has given this young organization the wings to fly
and touched hearts.”
Gabe Canales
asserted, “There is a difference between raising awareness
and changing the way people think. We’re empowering and
educating men (and the women that love them!) with
life-saving information.”
For more information
please visit
www.BlueCure.org.
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