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2016
NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center Gala Raises Over $1.5
Million for Patient Care, Research, Education, and Prevention
Actor Kyle MacLachlan and 400 Guests Attend Event
to Honor Beatrice W. Welters, Anthony Welters, and Dr. Mark B.
Pochapin
NEW
YORK, October 20, 2016 – Over $1.5 million was raised and nearly
400 guests attended NYU Langone Medical Center’s annual
Perlmutter Cancer Center Gala last night, raising funds for a
variety of activities to benefit patients and their families, to
advance promising research, and support training of the next
generation of oncology experts. Held at The Plaza Hotel in
Manhattan on October 19, the event honored three individuals for
their dedication to the fight against cancer: Beatrice W.
Welters, a member of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer
Center Board; her husband, Anthony Welters, a member of the NYU
Langone Board of Trustees; and Mark
B. Pochapin, MD, the
Sholtz/Leeds Professor of Gastroenterology, Department of
Medicine at NYU Langone.
The
evening was emceed by actor Kyle MacLachlan, best known for his
performance as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper in David Lynch’s
series Twin Peaks, for which he received two Emmy nominations
and a Golden Globe Award. MacLachlan believes it is important to
enhance awareness about cancer screening as a means of
prevention, and said, “It’s great to be here tonight, with so
many individuals who tackle cancer head-on every day. Thank you,
to each of you here, for the important work that you’re doing to
help diagnose and treat individuals who are affected by this
rampant disease.”
A
National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center with numerous
sites throughout New York City and Long Island, the Perlmutter
Cancer Center is
experiencing a period of growth and revival. Under the
leadership of Benjamin
G. Neel, MD, PhD, director
of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone continues to
increase the breadth and depth of expertise at the center. Of
note, over the last year, seven distinguished physicians and
researchers have joined the faculty. The Perlmutter Cancer
Center offers a multidisciplinary approach and a nurturing
environment for patient care, coupled with tremendous breadth
and scope in basic science and translational research. This
allows the center to rapidly move important findings from the
laboratory to the bedside, including exciting new treatment
opportunities through clinical trials.
Lori
Fink, chair of both the event and of the Perlmutter Cancer
Center Advisory Board, and a trustee of NYU Langone, greeted the
audience and said, “At the Perlmutter Cancer Center, our
incredible doctors and scientists are led by the amazing Ben
Neel, whose leadership is truly changing the game on cancer
prevention and treatment. And these efforts are strengthened
enormously by the Perlmutter Cancer Center’s remarkable
partners, individuals like our honorees Bea and Tony Welters,
who inspire us daily.”
About Beatrice Welters:
A
breast cancer survivor, Beatrice Welters recently established an
innovative program at NYU Langone, the Beatrice W. Welters
Breast Health Outreach and Navigation Program. A grassroots
initiative under the auspices of the Perlmutter Cancer Center,
the Welters Program was created to advance access to important
information on breast cancer and the benefits of screening
mammography in medically underserved communities throughout New
York City. She and her husband are recipients of the Woodrow
Wilson Award for Public Service in recognition of their
longstanding commitment to philanthropy. Mrs.
Welters is a former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad
and Tobago.
About Anthony Welters:
Anthony Welters is Executive Chairman of the BlackIvy Group,
LLC. He is recently retired as Senior Adviser to the Office of
the CEO of UnitedHealth Group (UHG), where he served in
leadership positions for two decades. He is a founding member of
the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a
recipient of a Horatio Alger Award for those who have overcome
adversity and made significant contributions to society, and a
member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
About Dr. Mark Pochapin:
Dr.
Pochapin’s work as a clinician and researcher is focused on the
prevention, early detection, and treatment of gastrointestinal
cancers. He is also dedicated to public outreach and education
in this area, and serves as a leader in the national initiative
to increase colorectal cancer screening—a collaborative effort
that has led to an accelerated decline in colorectal cancer
incidence and mortality rates over the past decade.
“Mark Pochapin is honored this evening for being an exceptional
physician, a leader in his chosen field, and a compassionate,
caring physician. He’s the ultimate professional and has
transformed gastrointestinal medicine at NYU Langone. I am
thrilled to congratulate Mark on this well-deserved
recognition,” said Robert
I. Grossman, MD, the
Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone, in his opening
remarks.
Dr.
Grossman also announced a separate $1 million gift: “Laurie and
Ike Perlmutter, our partners who have enabled a new era for our
cancer center, they are making a difference and I would like to
announce their $1M gift to the Welters Breast Health Program –
just one more reason to express our gratitude and appreciation.”
Guests in attendance included: Elisabeth Cohen, MD, Thelma
Duggin, Larry Fink, Sarah Wolf Hallac, Elaine and Ken Langone,
Janet Montag, Bruce Pergament, Jean and Raymond Troubh, John
Weiland, and Cynthia Zirinsky.
About NYU Langone Medical Center:
NYU Langone Medical Center,
a world-class, patient-centered, integrated academic medical
center, is one of the nation’s premier centers for excellence in
clinical care, biomedical research, and medical education.
Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of
five hospitals—Tisch
Hospital,
its flagship acute care facility; Rusk
Rehabilitation;
the Hospital
for Joint Diseases,
the Medical Center’s dedicated inpatient orthopaedic hospital; NYU
Lutheran Medical Center,
a full-service, 450-bed teaching hospital located in Brooklyn,
and Hassenfeld
Children’s Hospital,
a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of
children’s health services across the Medical Center. Also part
of NYU Langone is NYU
School of Medicine,
which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and
scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical
history, and the Laura
and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center,
a National Cancer Institute–designated cancer center. The
Medical Center’s trifold mission to serve, teach, and discover
is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of
a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education, and
research. For more information, go to www.NYULangone.org,
and interact with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram,
and Google+.
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