By guest contributor Múkami Kinoti Kimotho
Photo credit: Tony Brown
“The Leukemia Ball never disappoints! Year in and year out, it is one of the best events around. I feel very fortunate to a play small part in an evening that raised over $4 million for blood cancer research,” Ryan Kerrigan told Hollywood on the Potomac. One of DC’s can’t-miss events, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Leukemia Ball celebrated its 30th Anniversary at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The Leukemia Ball reigns as one of the Washington, D.C. area’s largest, non-political black tie events, bringing together business, philanthropic and community leaders to support the fight against blood cancer. The star-studded 2017 Leukemia Ball had more than 2,000 guests laughing along with Grammy-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan and dancing the night away to music from platinum-selling artist Andy Grammer. This extraordinary evening raised an astounding $4.1 million dollars – funds that will go towards life-saving cancer research and patient programs provided by LLS.
Loriana Hernandez Aldama & Dr.Druker
Nationally recognized television personalities were the events co-emcees, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Lindsay Czarniak and MSNBC anchor and Today Show national correspondent Craig Melvin, had a humorous stage rapport – which isn’t just happenstance – they are married and met years ago here in Washington D.C. at the local NBC news affiliate. All proceeds benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), National Capital Area Chapter. The Fund the Fight portion of the evening featured Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins Linebacker, and Bobby Mitchell, NFL Hall-of-Famer, Former Washington Redskin, Patrick Paolini, Vice President & General Manager, Fox5, Holly Morris, Anchor, Fox 5, and Morning-Show Radio Personality Loo-Katz from WASH-FM.
Robert Zirkelbach, Executive Vice-President of Public Affairs at PhRMA, and patient Ava Buhr
The 2017 Leukemia Ball is co-chaired by Wayne Berson, CEO of BDO, and David DiLuigi, Market President, Greater Washington & Central Virginia for Wilmington Trust, N.A. They lead an esteemed volunteer Executive Committee of more than 50 high-ranking executives representing major organizations across the Washington, D.C. area who volunteer their time and efforts to create a memorable evening and raise millions of dollars in support of LLS’s mission. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Washington Area Mercedes-Benz dealers, who have been raffle sponsors of the Leukemia Ball for 20 years, and have helped raised more than $20 million for LLS through the raffle. Thanks to the generosity of Washington Area Mercedes-Benz dealers there was the opportunity to win one of two Mercedes-Benz prizes. The Grand Prize vehicle was a 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 4MATIC SEDAN (MSRP:$52,150) and the First Prize is 2 spots at AMG Driving Academy at Laguna Seca Raceway in Salinas, CA including 2 nights of accommodations at the InterContinental Hotel & airfare (Value: $6,300). The festivities included a world-class silent auction featuring incredible travel packages from the official airline sponsor, American Airlines.
Talyce and Anthony Price, Jazmin and Redskin Josh Wilson
Since 1988, the Leukemia Ball has raised more than $55 million to support LLS’s mission. Over the course of three decades, funds raised by LLS through events like the Ball have changed the landscape of cancer care and provided hope to more than one million Americans living with blood cancer. Locally, there are 25,000 people in the DC metro region living with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
Highlights from the evening: Ed and Donna Offterdinger, a Maryland couple whose efforts have helped to raise more than $12 million for blood cancer research, were presented with the James L. Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award at the 30th annual Leukemia Ball. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), together with Wilmington Trust and M&T Bank, are honoring the couple for their outstanding commitment to the Washington, D.C. community and their dedication to the mission of LLS. The Offterdingers have been involved with LLS for more than 20 years. Born and raised in Maryland, Ed and Donna met in high school and have been married for more than 35 years. Helping others has been a lifelong endeavor for Donna. Her generosity and kindness were encouraged by her parents who opened their family home to numerous foster children. Giving back is a way of life for Donna. And Ed was her perfect match. After losing a childhood friend to leukemia, Ed made it his mission to help find a cure. Ed is a four-time Chair of the Leukemia Ball and Donna served on the Auction Committee. Together, the Offterdingers have helped raise more than $12 million dollars in the fight against blood cancer.
Maria Coakley David and Jim David of CJCoakley
“The contributions that the Offterdingers have made are vitally important for the lifesaving work of LLS to continue. They epitomize the dedication that the James L. Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award is meant to honor,” said Beth Gorman, Executive Director of LLS’s National Capital Area Chapter. “The Offterdingers have been tireless advocates for patients battling blood cancer. It’s a joy to recognize their exceptional efforts and decades of support in the development of therapies that are improving the lives of blood cancer patients.”
Patrick Paolini with Holly Morris
Dr. Lou DeGennaro, CEO, LLS: “It is rare in life that we get to do something truly meaningful. It is rare we get to do something that truly changes people’s lives. But that’s what you are doing with LLS – saving lives and changing the landscape of cancer. Since 1987, with your help, we’ve effectively and efficiently deployed over $1 Billion into game-changing research. What did you get for that investment? Results, Impact….here are some examples – 30 years ago the survival rate for children diagnosed with ALL was 10%, today its 90% and for children diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, together we’ve taken the survival rate from 50% to 85%. Speaking of targeted drugs, 15 years ago, together we created the world’s first targeted cancer drug – a drug that kills cancer without the toxic side effect of chemo therapy. That drug changed a deadly leukemia from a chance with a 3-year life expectancy to a diseases which patients treat at home by taking 2 pills per day – and now have a life expectancy of 30 years – you invested wisely.”
Wayne Berson, Leukemia Ball Co-Chair and Chief Executive Officer, BDO: “The Leukemia Ball is one of DC’s can’t miss events. What’s truly inspiring is how the community really came together to exceed our goals for the 30th year Anniversary..This mission is critically important and I am proud to partner with an organization that is leading the charge in changing outcomes for cancer patients.”
BethGorman, EmilyKishter, NeilKishter
30 for 30 David Timko: “The 30 for 30 campaign chaired by C.E. Andrews, Chairman of Morgan Franklin, Albert Lord, Ed Quinn, Chairman of TW Perry, and Bill Shaw, Chairman of Marriott Vacations Worldwide presented a check for $1 million to David Timko. Over the past 30 years, Founder of the Leukemia Ball, David Timko had the privilege of working with countless outstanding individuals who dedicated their time, talent and treasury to advancing the mission of LLS. Although they began as volunteers, their respect and admiration for David, and his for them, only deepened with several becoming trusted and dear friends. A group of such friends joined forces to present David with a special gift. Knowing of David’s passion for advancing blood cancer research, they thought of no greater gift than to advance research into the disease that David fought so bravely, not once, but twice…lymphoma.”
Jim Gaffigan
Fund the Fight – The Fund the Fight portion of the evening featured Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins Linebacker, and Bobby Mitchell, NFL Hall-of-Famer, Former Washington Redskin, Patrick Paolini, Vice President & General Manager, Fox5, Holly Morris, Anchor, Fox 5, and Morning-Show Radio Personality Loo-Katz from WASH-FM. Together they helped generate additional funds on-site, resulting $174,000 raised in 10 minutes.
Dr. Brian Druker, Director, Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, and Loriana Hernandez-Aldama, Award Winning Journalist & President Armor Up took the stage to deliver the mission moment. Dr. Brian Druker, M.D., revolutionized the treatment of cancer through research that resulted in the first drug to target the molecular defect of a cancer while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Quotes: David M. DiLuigi, Leukemia Ball Co-Chair Market President, Greater Washington & Central Virginia for Wilmington Trust: “Wilmington Trust and M&T Bank are proud to sponsor the Leukemia Ball’s most prestigious award recognizing individuals for the same exceptional commitment to community. This year’s honorees, Ed and Donna Offterdinger, have made a tremendous impact on the lives of local cancer patients and embody the meaning of good stewards and selfless volunteers. In addition, the accomplishments of LLS have been remarkable. The organization has played a key role in pioneering innovations related to advancing cures for blood cancers. Wilmington Trust and M&T Bank are honored to support the LLS mission and to recognize Ed and Donna for their multi-decade commitment to such an important cause.”
