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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Samuel waxman Cancer Research Foundation raises $4.2 Million

THE SAMUEL WAXMAN CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION RAISES $4.2 MILLION

Held yesterday at New York City landmark The Park Avenue Armory, the 12th Annual Collaborating For a Cure Dinner and Auction benefited the Institute Without Walls®, the worldwide collaborative cancer research program supported by the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF). Elin and Michael Nierenberg joined forces with Dale and Peter Claman, Kristin Fizulich, Alyssa and Cliff Greenberg, and Mara and Baron Silverstein to host the event, which was attended by Scientific Director of the Foundation Dr. Samuel Waxman, Headline Performer Steve Winwood, Patti D’Arbanville, Victoria’s Secret Angels Rosie Huntington, Lindsay Ellingson and Candice Swanepoel, Sheila Jaffe, jewelry designer Loree Rodkin, Peter Tunney and Susan Meisel. The annual fĂȘte was produced and managed by Robin Lathrop of byRobin and Edward Salas of Backstage Productions. Headlined by Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, Steve Winwood, the evening was also host to an exciting live auction and performance by The Lost Trailers.

This year, the 12th Annual Collaborating For a Cure raised close to $4.2 Million to support the Foundation’s research efforts to produce a cure for cancer. Known affectionately by New Yorkers as “The Waxman,” the yearly fĂȘte is considered to be among the top annual fundraising events in New York City, attended by more than 1,100 corporate executives, Board members and their guests.

During his keynote address, Samuel Waxman, M.D., Scientific Director of the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, focused on the continuing work of the Foundation in developing treatments for reversing abnormal cancer cell behavior— the SWCRF is striving to develop therapies to prevent reoccurrence of dormant cancer cells, as it leads the field in understanding what makes cancer cells dormant and creating strategies to eradicate such cells. Calling upon the crowd of smiling guests, Dr. Waxman said, “I hope you will help take us to the next level;” closing his inspirational speech, “I can assure you that cancer does not stop unless we stop cancer. Please join me in that quest.”

The evening’s much-anticipated live and silent auctions offered guests the opportunity to bid on an exciting selection of exclusive items, including four pairs of tickets to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, taking place Thursday, November 19, 2009 in New York City, which generated $125,000. Additional auction highlights included a once-in-a-lifetime cruise amongst the Caribbean Islands for six days/five nights on the luxurious 133-foot custom yacht M/Y Serque, which garnered a winning bid of $95,000; an exclusive getaway via a private flight aboard a Falcon 50 for five friends from New York City to St. Barts, which garnered a winning bid of $85,000; and a private wine tasting dinner in Italian Wine Merchants’ signature event space, Studio del Gusto, which sold twice, each garnered a winning bid of $30,000 for a total of $60,000. The Live Auction was led by C. Hugh Hildesley of Sotheby’s Auction House.

The Foundation’s Institute Without Walls® is a unique collaboration among the world-renowned scientists it funds, who share their knowledge to stimulate cross-fertilization and accelerate the pace of research. The Foundation has made $65+ million in grants supporting more than 160 scientists throughout the United States, Canada, China, Europe and Israel. The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization focusing on one of the most promising strategies for developing cures and treatments for many types of cancer; even offering hope for preventing cancer from developing. It is on the cutting edge of a revolution with alternatives to the traditional treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, which kill cancer (and healthy) cells.

Foundation supported research includes reprogramming chaotically growing cancer cells to behave normally and understanding cancer stem cells’ ability to spread and resistance to treatment. The results will lead to more precisely targeted treatments or preventatives having minimal side effects on the patients.

For more information please visit www.waxmancancer.org.

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