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LOS ANGELES – (Oct. 21, 2016) - The Cedars-Sinai Board of
Governors honored Adele and
Beny
Alagem
with the Philanthropic Leadership Award and Sylvester
Stallone with the Heart of Hollywood Award at their
2016 Gala, Thursday, Oct.
20, 2016 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills. The
sold-out event again featured Jay Leno as host with a
performance by Broadway and Glee singing sensation
Matthew Morrison. Paul Guerin and Robert Barth chaired the
Gala.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Cedars-Sinai Board of
Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute. Under the
leadership of Clive
Svendsen,
PhD, the
Kerry and Simone Vickar Family Foundation
Distinguished Chair in Regenerative Medicine,
the world-renowned institute advances the field of
regenerative medicine by translating laboratory discoveries
into stem-cell-based treatments for skeletal disorders and
diseases of the brain, eye, pancreas, liver and blood.
Nearly 900 guests enjoyed a performance by the UCLA United
Voices Choir before being welcomed by the evening’s event
chairs, Paul Guerin and Robert Barth. Quipped Guerin, “This
gala has become such a hot event that someone tried to bribe
me to get him in by offering me two tickets to ‘Hamilton!’”
Noted Barth, “We’re about two and a half years into our
challenge to raise $30 million to fund our spectacular new
Regenerative Medicine Institute. We’re proud to say that
thus far we’ve raised over $15 million and are ahead of
schedule.”
Jay Leno’s topical humor kept the audience laughing, noting
“I love late October in LA. It’s that time of year when
we’re haunted by monsters, goblins and other terrifying
creatures … but don’t worry, in 19 days the election will be
over!”
Broadway and Glee sensation Matthew Morrison dazzled
the audience with his renditions of “Uptown Funk,” “Happy”
and “It’s All Right With Me.”
Guerin returned to the stage to introduce a dramatic video
that showed the actual creation of a living organism created
from stem cells. Calling the work of Dr. Robert Barrett and
his team, under the direction of Dr. Clive Svendsen, “a
window into our future,” he reinforced the goal of “using
these cell models to find powerful new treatments for
diseases including Crohn’s, lupus and colitis … specifically
designed for every individual patient.” As a further
testament to the work of the Institute, Guerin announced
that Regenerative Medicine Institute researchers
received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
to test a combination stem cell-gene therapy they developed
to stall the progression of ALS.
Additional work in the David and Janet Polak Stem Cell Core
at Cedars-Sinai has a goal of turning a diabetic patients’
own stem cells into their own healthy pancreas cells,
eventually eliminating a patient’s need for insulin.
Leslie Spivak, Chair of the Board of Governors, recognized
the 12-year partnership with the evening’s title sponsor,
Lexus. Lexus donated a 2017 Lexus LX 450H hybrid drive
luxury vehicle, which was raffled off with all proceeds
benefitting the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine
Institute. Lexus was honored for its years of support and
commitment to the Board of Governors.
Robert Barth presented the 2016 Heart of Hollywood Award
to Sylvester Stallone, calling him not only “the Italian
Stallion, but also a thoroughbred, the one you’d always be
wise to bet on.” A hero off-screen as well as on, Barth
noted the support of Stallone and wife Jennifer to
Cedars-Sinai including the COACH for Kids program.
Paul Guerin was joined by his wife, Chair of the
Cedars-Sinai Board of Directors, Vera Guerin to present the
2016 Philanthropic Leadership Award to Adele and Beny
Alagem, noting their legendary community and philanthropic
efforts. “With Beny and Adele,” said Vera Guerin, “it’s
never a question of standing up for a worthy cause. The
question for them is always ‘how can we help?’” Beny Alagem
is the Chairman and Chief Executive of Alagem Capital Group
and Oasis West Realty, an asset management firm that owns
The Beverly Hilton Hotel and The Waldorf Astoria Beverly
Hills.
Guests also enjoyed a spirited live auction featuring a
private tour of Jay Leno’s garage housing his collection of
rare automobiles; a Crystal Cruise to Alaska; tickets to the
2017 Golden Globe® Awards; and a vacation in Los Cabos.
About the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors
Established in 1971, the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors is
a diverse community of donors and leaders committed to
supporting Cedars-Sinai by providing financial resources,
educational experiences for its members and volunteer
opportunities.
In the past decade alone, the group has
committed almost $100 million to fund lifesaving research
and patient care at Cedars-Sinai.
For more information on how to get involved with the
Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors, please call 310-423-7471. |