THE ANGEL BALL BRINGS OUT THE STARS

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FOUNDATION RAISES 3.6 MILLION
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Melanie Mar



Chavez


Cindy Guyer


Kristen Justice With Mark Linn-Baker


Jenna Morasca With Ethan Zohn


Julie Ordon


High Voltage


Bronson Van Wyke


Sir Ivan With Michelle Chen


Katherine Davis


Josh Milko


Denise Rich With Daniella Rich Kilstock And
Ilona Rich Schachter



Josh Groban



Shontelle


DJ Cassidy


Daniella Rich Kilstock


Ivana Trump


Alyssa Miller


Jessica White


Sean Parker


Samantha Harris


Denise Rich


Sam Moore


The Edge


Rosie Perez


Kim Kardashian


Ne-Yo



It seems like songwriter/philanthropist Denise Rich has done it again (of course, with the help her daughters, Daniella and Ilona, and her team) for this year’s Angel Ball, which was another star-studded extravaganza. While famous for writing hit songs for Sister Sledge, Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson, Marc Anthony, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige and Diana Ross, Denise also works tirelessly to support Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. Denise established the Foundation in 1996 after her daughter Gabrielle Rich Aouad passed of leukemia at the young age of 27.


So it is understandable that Denise was able to find the energy to painstakingly work for the entire past year to plan the Ball held last Thursday. Nearly 1000 people joined Denise once again at Cipriani Wall Street, where she was hands on with every detail carefully arranged by her foundation and event team. Each of the 120 tables was topped with an original sculpture donated by the Brazilian pop-artist Romero Britto. The sculptures sold for $1,000 and $2,500 each, with all the proceeds going directly cancer research. All the guests enjoyed performances by Ne-Yo, Shontelle, Josh Groban, Sam Moore and a surprise cameo from U2’s the Edge, who was also being honored at the Ball along with his wife, Morleigh Steinberg, Napster Founder and Facebook founding President Sean Parker, and Coty CEO Bernd Beetz. For many Sam Moore, who seemed much younger than his 75 years, was a highlight. The soul legend energetically performed a selection of his classic hits, including Soul Man. Also in attendance were actress Rosie Perez, Ivana Trump, Chris Tucker reality television personality Kim Kardashian once personal assistant to Michael Jackson and now entrepreneur Frank Cacsio, entertainment attorney, Eric Lerner, socialites Alexander and Brenda von Schweickhardt, and philanthropists Michele and Larry Herbert and Michele and Frank Rella.


Gabrielle was a remarkably talented woman who accomplished an amazing amount in her tragically short life; she was fluent in five languages, appeared in several plays and movies, and wrote a screenplay. Leukemia was not her first experience with cancer, having successfully beaten a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s disease she received at 23 years old. Nor was this Denise’s first brush with cancer. She lost her best friend in high school to leukemia, and then her only sister to breast cancer in 1985. Before she passed, Gabrielle told her mother that her last wish was a cancer foundation to be started in her name.


The Angel Ball is the main fundraising event for the Foundation, and this year it raised an impressive $3.6 million. This adds to the over $13 million in Medical Research Awards already given, making Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation one of the largest non-governmental sources of grant support to blood cancer researcher, and 82 cents of every dollar raised go directly to cancer research. The Foundation funds research to improve .the efficacy of cancer treatments, reduce their toxicity and improve the quality of life of patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and related cancers.


To learn more about Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research visit www.gabriellesangels.org

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