Archive

8 Reasons to Attend the White Coat Gala

Avatar photo
Jennifer Doak-Mathewson

< 1 min read

“It’s a blast for a good cause” is probably the only reason you need to attend the White Coat Gala: Honoring Heroes and Healers, UConn Health’s premiere event of the year. But just in case, we prepped this list to give you a few more reasons to get your tickets now.

Top 8 Reasons to Attend the White Coat Gala

Get your tickets to the White Coat Gala now!

 

Jonathan at an event in Hartford CT
Connect with fellow Huskies
Don't miss out on alumni events and more

Related Posts

UConn Honors Heroes in Fight Against Cancer

UConn Honors Heroes in Fight Against Cancer

Read More
White Coat Gala to Celebrate Center on Aging (UConn Today)

White Coat Gala to Celebrate Center on Aging (UConn Today)

Read More
RELEASE: Cancer Research, Dental Medicine Benefactors to be Honored at Gala

RELEASE: Cancer Research, Dental Medicine Benefactors to be Honored at Gala

Read More

UConn Community Unites To Help Pitcher Ryan Radue Beat Cancer

Avatar photo
Jennifer Doak-Mathewson

< 1 min read

“Weeks of powerful chemotherapy had wiped out the cancer discovered in [UConn baseball pitcher Ryan] Radue’s knee and neck, with a month of radiation still to come. But neither the illness nor the harsh effects of treatment separated him from school, where he graduated in December, a semester early, or his teammates. Now his fight is in the late innings and he let everyone know he was winning. He hopes to be pitching by the end of April.

“‘That’s all him,’ said outfielder Joe DeRoche-Duffin, one of Radue’s closest friends. ‘It just shows you the internal fight that he has, and it’s so inspiring. He’s just been amazing.'”

Ryan will be one of several honored guests at the 7th Annual UConn Health White Coat Gala, recognizing our community’s heroes and healers in the fight against cancer. The event, set for April 16, will also recognize Bess Economos, co-founder of the Lea’s Foundation for Leukemia Research, and Pramod Srivastava, PhD, MD, director of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Jonathan at an event in Hartford CT
Connect with fellow Huskies
Don't miss out on alumni events and more

Related Posts

UConn Mourns Loss of Alum Ray Neag, Largest Benefactor

UConn Mourns Loss of Alum Ray Neag, Largest Benefactor

Read More
UConn Honors Heroes in Fight Against Cancer

UConn Honors Heroes in Fight Against Cancer

Read More
Curators Versus Cancer

Curators Versus Cancer

Read More

UConn Honors Heroes in Fight Against Cancer

Avatar photo
Jennifer Huber

3 min read

The 7th Annual White Coat Gala: Honoring Heroes and Healers, to benefit UConn Health, will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. University President Susan Herbst will host with Mark Zinni, anchor of Eyewitness News on WFSB Channel 3.

UConn Health and the UConn Foundation are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016 Carole and Ray Neag Medal of Honor. Bess Economos, co-founder of the Lea’s Foundation for Leukemia Research, and Pramod K. Srivastava, PhD, MD, director of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health, will be honored.

“UConn is proud to honor Bess Economos and Dr. Pramod Srivastava for their remarkable contributions to the fight against cancer. Through her generosity, Bess Economos has enhanced patient care programs and invested in lifesaving research. And our own Dr. Srivastava is leading the world’s first clinical trial for a genomics-based ovarian cancer vaccine,” said Herbst. “We look forward to lauding their accomplishments and bestowing the distinguished Carole and Ray Neag Medal of Honor at the 7th Annual White Coat Gala.”

Ryan Radue
Ryan Radue ’15

The evening also will feature special guest speaker Ryan Radue, a 21-year-old patient at the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. Radue, of Appleton, Wisc., graduated from UConn with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a 3.5-plus GPA in December 2015 while undergoing chemotherapy. He is currently a graduate student at the UConn School of Business. Radue also is a pitcher on UConn’s men’s baseball team.

“UConn Health has made a very difficult process go by as easily as possible. Everyone—all of the doctors, nurses, and staff—are always willing to go out of their way to answer any question or clear up any concern,” said Radue. “I wanted to get involved with the White Coat Gala to help put a light on how great UConn Health is and hopefully help others facing cancer get the same care and experience I have had.”

Bess Economos co-founded the Lea’s Foundation for Leukemia Research in 1998 with her late husband, Michael, in memory of their daughter, Lea Michelle. Lea Michelle was diagnosed with leukemia at age 18 and lost her battle 10 years later after an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant. The Economoses established the Lea’s Foundation to carry out their daughter’s dying wish to help others and find a cure. The foundation has made enormous strides in research and treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. The Lea’s Foundation invests all of its resources to support clinical trials and patient programs in Connecticut. In 2006, the couple founded the Lea’s Foundation Center for Hematologic Disorders at UConn Health.

Dr. Srivastava earned international acclaim for his groundbreaking work in the immunological function of heat shock proteins and in cancer immunology, is widely published in scholarly journals, and serves on the editorial boards for several major journals in immunology. He holds the Eversource Energy Chair in Experimental Oncology and has served as director of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health since 2011. Highly accomplished in both basic and translational research, Dr. Srivastava is leading the world’s first clinical trial for an ovarian cancer vaccine using patients’ own genomics, or DNA.

“I am honored to be recognized by UConn. This award is particularly meaningful to me personally because it bears the names of Carole and Ray Neag, whose selfless service makes a difference in the lives of thousands of patients facing cancer as well as other diseases,” said Dr. Srivastava.

The White Coat Gala has raised more than $3.5 million for UConn Health, Connecticut’s flagship public academic medical center. This special event celebrates UConn Health’s eminent physicians, dentists, and researchers who are translating discoveries made in the lab into lifesaving advances.

Proceeds from this year’s White Coat Gala will benefit UConn Health’s comprehensive campus revitalization project, called Bioscience Connecticut, as well as the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. Major Bioscience Connecticut projects include new state-of-the-art outpatient and hospital facilities and expansions for research laboratories and business incubator spacing. Additionally, a modern addition will be built on the academic building to accommodate a 30 percent increase in medical and dental students.

The White Coat Gala is supported by the generosity of founding title sponsors Richard and Jane Lublin and top sponsors Stanley Black & Decker, Carole and Ray Neag, Robert and Renee Samuels, Shipman & Goodwin, TIAA-CREF, and The Creative Mile. Media sponsorship is generously provided by WFSB Channel 3.

To purchase tickets, please visit the White Coat Gala 2016 event page or call (860) 486-7169. Please contact Abbie O’Brien at (860) 679-4524 or aobrien@foundation.uconn.edu for information about sponsorship opportunities. For all other questions, please email uchcgala@foundation.uconn.edu.

Can’t make it to the gala, but want to help the cause? Consider donating to one of UConn’s cancer research funds.

Jonathan at an event in Hartford CT
Connect with fellow Huskies
Don't miss out on alumni events and more

Related Posts

UConn Mourns Loss of Alum Ray Neag, Largest Benefactor

UConn Mourns Loss of Alum Ray Neag, Largest Benefactor

Read More
Curators Versus Cancer

Curators Versus Cancer

Read More
Leaders of the Pack

Leaders of the Pack

Read More

RELEASE: Cancer Research, Dental Medicine Benefactors to be Honored at Gala

Avatar photo
Jennifer Huber

3 min read

UConn Health and the UConn Foundation are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Carole and Ray Neag Medal of Honor. Philanthropists Mark and Laura Yellin and corporate supporter Straumann USA will be honored at the Sixth Annual White Coat Gala.

The White Coat Gala will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Scot Haney, meteorologist and co-host of “Better Connecticut” on WFSB Channel 3, will host alongside University President Susan Herbst.

“We are proud to honor philanthropists Mark and Laura Yellin and Straumann USA. The Carole and Ray Neag Medal of Honor recognizes those individuals and corporate partners whose outstanding contributions to the field of medicine and UConn Health serve as an example of what we all hope to achieve: to make a difference in the lives of others. We are deeply grateful to the Yellins and Straumann USA for their longstanding generosity and partnership,” said Herbst.

Since 1984, Mark and Laura Yellin have been steadfast supporters of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health. In addition to their personal philanthropy, Mr. Yellin has served as chairman of the UConn Cancer Research Golf Tournament for 26 years, leading a committee of dedicated volunteers who share a common goal to eradicate cancer. The tournament has raised more than $1.7 million since its inception for research projects, new technology and equipment, and faculty initiatives.

“Laura and I feel extremely privileged and honored to receive the 2015 Carole and Ray Neag Medal of Honor,” said Mark Yellin. “Cancer is a deadly foe that indiscriminately attacks families and friends. We have spent the last 37 years raising funds to battle this deadly disease. At UConn Health, we have been able to clearly see that the funds raised are used directly, efficiently, and productively in the battle against cancer.”

Straumann USA is a global leader in implant dentistry and a pioneer of innovative technologies. As a leading developer of surgical, restorative, regenerative, and digital solutions for dentistry and laboratory use, Straumann USA’s partnership with the UConn School of Dental Medicine has provided profound benefit to faculty, students, and patients. Straumann’s longstanding support of the UConn School of Dental Medicine’s academic, clinical, and research missions contributes toward UConn’s international reputation as a top-tier institution for groundbreaking research, extraordinary patient care, and unrivaled education and training for the next generation of leaders in dental medicine.

“Words cannot express our pride and delight in receiving this honor,” said Andy Molnar, EVP of Straumann North America. “Despite persistent difficult economic circumstances and pressure to cut costs, we as an organization have maintained our annual investment in research and development at more than 5 percent of net revenues. We are committed to high-quality research based on collaboration with a network of world-renowned researchers, clinicians, and academics.”

The White Coat Gala has raised more than $3.2 million for UConn Health, Connecticut’s flagship public academic medical center. This special event celebrates UConn Health’s eminent physicians, dentists, and researchers who are translating discoveries made in the lab into advances in healthy aging, dentistry, orthopedics, and intractable diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Proceeds from this year’s White Coat Gala will benefit UConn Health’s comprehensive campus revitalization project, called Bioscience Connecticut. Major projects include new state-of-the-art outpatient and hospital facilities and expansions for research laboratories and business incubator spacing. Additionally, a modern addition will be built on the academic building to accommodate a 30 percent increase in medical and dental students.

The White Coat Gala is supported by the generosity of sponsors. Media sponsorship is generously provided by WFSB Channel 3.

To purchase tickets, please visit our online registration form or call (860) 486-1001. Please contact Amy Chesmer at (860) 336-6706 or via email for information about sponsorship opportunities. For all other questions, please email uchcgala@foundation.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-1001.

Jonathan at an event in Hartford CT
Connect with fellow Huskies
Don't miss out on alumni events and more

Related Posts

Grateful Patient Supports Critical Cancer Research, Inspires Others

Grateful Patient Supports Critical Cancer Research, Inspires Others

Read More
Gift from Neags Supports Cancer Research and Treatment

Gift from Neags Supports Cancer Research and Treatment

Read More
Curators Versus Cancer

Curators Versus Cancer

Read More