April 24, 2007, ST. LOUIS – The Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation''s 2007 Illumination Gala broke several foundation fundraising records on its way to raising $1.5 million for cancer research at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.
With the April 21 event at the Ritz-Carlton sold out weeks in advance, almost $450,000 was already in through table sales and sponsorships before the bidding began. Another $208,000 was raised during a live auction of items and experiences. The Fund-a-Cure portion of the auction leveraged the Koman Center for Cancer Bioinformatics, a fund started at Siteman by cancer survivor Bill Koman and his wife Amy, who served as event chairs. This brought in more than $1 million, including five individual gifts of $100,000, a record for auctioneer Adam Jokisch.
As event chairs, the Komans worked with Executive Producer Nancy and Keith Alper and creative consultant Susan and David Sherman to make the gala a success. Some of the leading donors included Steven and Michelle Trulaske, Jerry Clinton, Byron and Tina Trott, Joe and Mary Stievens, Bill Koman Sr. and his wife, Joan, Bill and Kerry Holekamp and corporate donor Express Scripts.
Major corporate sponsor and creative consultants, Creative Producers Group, threw a unique after-party as a celebration of life in the Ritz''s transformed restaurant. Sponsor Bill Donius and Pulaski Bank sponsored the hosted NYC-style "Club Illumination" featuring Big Apple DJs Andrew Andrew.
Plans are already underway to start working on next year''s gala. For more information, visit www.illumination08.org.
The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine is an international leader in cancer treatment, research, prevention, education and community outreach. It is the only cancer center in Missouri and within a 240-mile radius of St. Louis to hold the prestigious Comprehensive Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute and membership in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Parent institutions Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine also are nationally recognized, with U.S. News & World Report consistently ranking the hospital in the top 10 and the medical school in the top five, providing advanced patient care and serving the community through outreach and education programs.