The American Cancer Society’s Giants of Science gala on November 5 at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is the first in the Society’s stable of galas to dedicate its proceeds solely to funding the Society’s groundbreaking research programs. Survivor Shannen Doherty will receive the first of six awards at the American Cancer Society’s inaugural Giants of Science gala to benefit the Society’s research program this Saturday at the Four Seasons.
In response to Vice President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, the American Cancer Society has pledged to double its research funding by 2021. The ACS is the nation’s largest not-for-profit funder of cancer research, second only to the federal government. To date, the Society has funded early research of 47 Nobel Prize-winning scientists.
The inaugural Giants of Science honors current research grant recipients whose work has been selected by a national committee for commendation. Honorees are Cedars-Sinai’s Beth Karlan, MD,whose translational research has helped shape current standards of ovarian cancer care and research; Children’s Hospital LA’s Shahab Asgharzadeh, MD, for his work in improved treatment for childhood medulloblastoma; City of Hope’s Betty Ferrell, PhD, RN, who has focused her clinical nursing expertise and research into pain management, quality of life, and palliative care; and University of Southern California’s Matthew Pratt, PhD; who studies increased levels of a specific sugar found in malignant cells.
The evening is chaired by Rachel Beller, MS, RDN, CEO and founder of Beller Nutrition Institute. California State Controller Betty Yee is honorary host and master of ceremonies Roy Firestone will preside over the evening. Stefano and the Inconvenient Truth Band (American Idol) providing entertainment.
The evening is sponsored by Allstate, Beller Nutrition Institute, Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Institute, City of Hope, Houlihan Lokey, Leica Biosystems, and UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Center. More information is available at www.giantsofscience.org.
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, 14 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.