Contact:
Jason Merrill
314-286-0302
[email protected]

ST. LOUIS – Tony and Emmy-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth will perform at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation’s annual illumination gala benefitting the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine on Saturday, April 9 at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton.

Best known for her roles on Glee, The West Wing and her Emmy award-winning work on Pushing Daisies, Chenoweth is also one of Broadway’s most celebrated leading ladies having won a Tony award for her breakout performance in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, a Tony-nomination as Glinda in Wicked and most recently in Promises, Promises.



In recent years, Chenoweth has become a passionate advocate for finding better treatments and cures for cancer. She has participated nationally in many cancer awareness events including “Stand Up To Cancer.” Her mother Junie is a breast cancer survivor and the experience moved her.

"When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I realized this was my moment,” Chenoweth told Good Housekeeping in 2010. “All my life, I'd been on the receiving end of my mother's endless tenderness and vigilant care. Being allowed to care for her during her recovery was a gift — the most rewarding experience in my life."

Gala co-chairs Robert Clark, chairman & CEO of Clayco, Inc. and George Paz, chairman & CEO of Express Scripts are leading community support of illumination. Clayco, Inc. and Express Scripts are the presenting sponsors of the gala, which is expected to draw 600 guests for dinner, a live auction of luxury items and experiences and a private concert.

The 2011 gala will support the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation’s Cancer Frontier Fund, a fundraising initiative spearheaded by Amy and Bill Koman to find cancer cures and change cancer care around the world by accelerating the pace of discoveries made at the Siteman Cancer Center.

Since 1999, illumination has generated millions of dollars to support the Siteman Cancer Center – the only National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center within 240 miles of St. Louis – in the fight against cancer. The 2010 event raised more than $1.6 million for the Cancer Frontier Fund, which will lead to innovations enabling physicians to treat cancer more effectively by personalizing patients’ therapy based on the genetics or molecular makeup of his or her cancer.

Such work is why the Siteman Cancer Center sees patients from around the world who travel to St. Louis for care they can not get elsewhere.

“Cancer care would not be where it is today were it not for clinical trials made possible by events like illumination,” says Timothy Eberlein, MD, Siteman Cancer Center director. “Every advance that we have made in the treatment of cancer patients - regardless of the type of cancer - is really the result of clinical trials. We hope the work we do at Siteman can someday prevent cancer entirely.”

“To lead this event with George is an honor,” Clark says. “Clayco and I share with the Siteman Cancer Center a dedication to helping where we see the most need. Siteman and Barnes-Jewish provide our community with a tremendous service.”

Paz adds, “Express Scripts is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide access to health and medical services. Siteman is a leader in this field not only for St. Louis, but also for the nation.”

Clark, Paz, Dr. Eberlein and Barnes-Jewish Hospital president Rich Liekweg will host illumination. For more information about tickets and sponsorships, visit www.illuminationgala.org, or contact Kristin Marino at (314) 286-0602 or [email protected].