Please join us to celebrate life and nourish hope. The ICRF 2019 Tower of Hope Gala at The Pierre Hotel, New York City will be held on Sunday, November 24, 2019. We are pleased to announce two exceptional honorees who are making a difference in the fight against cancer:

 

Ariella Riva Ritvo-Slifka, PhD, is Assistant Clinical Professor at the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine where she has worked as a clinician, researcher, teacher and lecturer in her field of autism and developmental disabilities. After facing the tragic loss of two members of her immediate family to cancer, she has channeled significant investments into cancer research through the Alan B. Slifka Foundation where she serves as President.

 

Dr. Michael Weiner MD, Hettinger Professor, Vice Chair of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, conducts cancer research and provides clinical care for children afflicted with cancer and blood disorders. Dr. Weiner tells the typical "New York story" about one of his young patients whose hope for a cure was boosted when her hero, NY Yankees first baseman, Tino Martinez, committed to donate to cancer research every time he racked up an RBI.

 

Every ICRF-funded research project inspires hope and the scientists we fund are our heroes. Here are just three examples of research that range from basic biology to quality-of-life:

 

Neta Erez, PhD, Tel Aviv University, is researching means to strengthen normal tissue to prevent metastatic relapse, one of the major causes of cancer-related death.

 

Jacob Hanna, MD, PhD, Weizmann Institute, is studying how cancer survivors may one day receive stem cells to replace organs damaged by their illness.

 

Avi Priel, PhD, Hebrew University, is introducing molecules that target pain receptors as a way of reducing the severe pain of cancer and cancer treatment without reliance on addictive opiate pain relievers.

 

We, ICRF donors and supporters, are also heroes in the battle to contain cancer in our lifetimes and we look forward to greeting you on November 24th.

 

We promise you an exciting, inspiring evening—long on warmth and hope, and short on speeches. You will soon receive a formal invitation, but please consider using the enclosed form to increase your level of support and make your reservation today.

Sincerely,

 

Cynthia Perl

Lisa Oved

Joel Pelofsky

2019 Tower of Hope Gala Co-Chairs