DETROIT, Sept. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Friday, Sept. 21, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute will celebrate its 25th annual Partners Event with an exciting evening at one of Detroit’s most historic and unique venues – the Michigan Building Theatre. This year’s honoree is Jack D. Sobel, M.D., dean and distinguished professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Sobel is being recognized for his outstanding career as a medical leader, clinician and educator, and for his many contributions to the field of medicine. Karmanos is grateful for its longtime partnership with Wayne State University, spanning more than seven decades. This special collaboration continues to advance basic science and train future clinicians and scientists in the field of oncology.
Funds from this year’s Partners Night will support the research of Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University and Karmanos Cancer Institute. Dr. Azmi developed a novel therapy to treat pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Dr. Azmi has extensive experience in the area of anticancer drug development, primarily focusing his work on developing new drugs for difficult-to-treat pancreatic cancer and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Protocol is currently being written to initiate a trial with this new drug in 2019.
Partners silver anniversary also celebrates the accomplishments of the Partners Committee, a group of young professionals who have worked tirelessly to raise awareness and philanthropic dollars to support the cancer research program at Karmanos through The Partners Events. Since its inception, The Partners Events have raised more than $16 million, benefiting cancer patients here in Michigan and across the globe.
This year’s Partners Executive Co-Chairs are Matt Melchoir and Hilary Notaro, both from Detroit.
EXCITING GUEST EXPERIENCE
Melchoir and Notaro, along with their committee, have an exciting Partners Night planned. The high-end carnival themed gala will have a cosmopolitan twist, with the intriguing Michigan Building Theatre as the backdrop. The evening will include a strolling cocktail reception and dinner; silent auction; raffle; live entertainment; fun, interactive experiences; and much more.
| WHAT: | Karmanos Cancer Institute’s 25th Annual Partners Night | ||||||||
| WHEN: | Friday, September 21 | ||||||||
| 7 p.m. – midnight | |||||||||
| WHERE: | Michigan Building Theatre | ||||||||
| 220 Bagley, Ave., in Detroit | |||||||||
| COST: | $175 per person; $95 for guests age 21 – 30. Valet parking included. | ||||||||
| Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the door. To secure reservations or to learn about future sponsorship opportunities, call 313-756-8106, email kearneym@karmanos.org or visit www.karmanos.org/partners. | |||||||||
| ATTIRE: | Evening Chic | ||||||||
| EVENT TIMELINE | |||||||||
| 7 – 8:30 p.m.: Cocktail and Dinner Reception | |||||||||
| Cocktail and hors d'oeuvre reception, entertainment, strolling dinner and silent auction. High-end carnival games will include a Guess How Many chance, Wine and Champagne Ring Toss, Balloon Pop with sports tickets, overnight stays at hotels, restaurant gift cards and much more! | |||||||||
| Original Painting Created On-Site by Roko | |||||||||
| Local artist and founder of Art Foundation, Tony Roko, will be creating a one-of-a-kind painting throughout the evening. The painting will be auctioned off during the program. Roko recently worked with cancer patients and their loved ones from the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Leah A. Davidson Healing Arts Program to create their own one-of-a-kind work of art. The artwork will be showcased in a pop-up gallery and auctioned off at Hour Detroit's Savor Dinner Series to benefit Karmanos, Art Foundation and other local charities participating in the Give Detroit Challenge. | |||||||||
Silent Auction
There are several family-fun silent auction items, including:
- Four tickets to a Red Wings game, with four hours of Sedan service and a signed Anthony Mantha jersey, donated by Dakkota Integrated Systems, Metro Cars and The Detroit Red Wings
- Four tickets to a Detroit Tigers game and the opportunity to sit in the dugout to watch the post-game fireworks, donated by The Detroit Tigers
- Breakfast with your favorite animal at the Detroit Zoo, including up to five guests who will enjoy a continental breakfast outside the enclosure of the animal of their choice, donated by Matt and Karen Cullen
- Private candle pouring party at DetroitWick, donated by DetroitWick
- Private on track driving experience at M1 Concourse, donated by M1 Concourse
| Raffle of Trip Excursion – Donated by Sanja and Tom Alongi. | ||||||||||
| Guests can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win one of three trip packages to either London, England; Paris, France; or Amsterdam, Netherlands. Value $5,000. Each package includes round-trip airfare for two, a 4-night stay at four-star hotel, and a variety of excursions for each destination. The trip location will be curated by Exceptional Journeys. Raffle tickets are 1 for $50, 3 for $100 or 10 for $250. | ||||||||||
| 8:30 – 9 p.m. Program | ||||||||||
| Speakers will include Partners Committee Co-Chairs Hilary Notaro and Matt Melchior; Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO, Karmanos Cancer Institute; and Honoree, Jack Sobel, M.D., dean and distinguished professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine. | ||||||||||
| Brief video by Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Oncology, Wayne State University and Karmanos Cancer institute, whose research in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors will benefit from this year’s Partners event. | ||||||||||
| 9 p.m. – Midnight | ||||||||||
| Entertainment, dancing and desserts will continuing through midnight. | ||||||||||
2018 Partners Sponsors: Corporate Sponsor, Danialle and Peter Karmanos, Jr.; Platinum Sponsor, Kenwal Steel Corporation; Gold Sponsor, Magna; Silver Sponsors, Comerica Bank, Phillip A. Incarnati Foundation and Worthington Industries; Volunteer Sponsor, Taubman; Bronze Sponsors, Five Brothers Default Management Solutions, Jay A. Fishman, Ltd., HoMedics, J.P. Morgan, Kojaian Companies, Metro Cars, NHL Foundation and Oakland Civic Charities Foundation. Media Sponsors are HOUR Detroit and DBusiness Magazines.
2018 Partners Committee: Executive Co-Chairs are Matt Melchoir and Hilary Notaro. Committee Members include: Tom Alongi, Sunny Connolly, Jason Geisz, Niki Johnson, Jimmy Saros, Kelley Saros, Mahdi Shafari and Jake Simon.
How Partners Started
Karmanos Cancer Institute long-time supporters Anna and Harry Korman had the vision to begin Partners in memory of their late daughter Suzanne who died of cancer at the age of 36. The Kormans established the committee as a way to engage young people in raising money for cancer research, knowing that research would lead to advancements in treatment options and early detection methods.
The Kormans’ daughter and son-in-law, Eunice and Milton Ring, and other family members, continue the Kormans’ legacy along with the Partners Committee, which this year marks the 25th year of hosting the Partners Events. The Partners are united in the fight against cancer and are dedicated to solely raising funds for research at Karmanos Cancer Institute, which is part of McLaren Health Care, through the annual signature fundraisers known as The Partners Events.
For more information on ways to support Karmanos through sponsorships or other fundraising opportunities, or to be part of the Partners Committee, call 313-576-8106, email kearneym@karmanos.org or visit www.karmanos.org/partners.
About the Partners
The Partners are a group of hardworking, “hands-on” volunteers who pool their ideas and resources and join together for the sole purpose of raising funds for the Karmanos Cancer Institute. Many of these dedicated volunteers are motivated by their own personal struggles or those of loved ones battling this disease. The Partners are dedicated to making sure that other families who are faced with this illness always have a place to turn where they will receive the ultimate in patient care, education and treatment. For more information, go to http://www.karmanos.org/partners.
This marks the 25th year that the Partners Committee has given their time, talent and resources to raise awareness and engage the community to help support Karmanos Cancer Institute through the Partners Events. Since the committee began, the Partners Events have raised more than $16 million to help advance cancer research.
About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Karmanos Cancer Institute is headquartered in Detroit, with 15 locations throughout Michigan. As part of McLaren, Karmanos is the largest cancer care and research network in the state. It is among the nation’s best cancer centers as one of the National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States and the only one located in metro Detroit. Karmanos cancer experts focus solely on cancer to prevent, detect and treat as well as eradicate all forms of cancer. Its long-term partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine enhances the collaboration of critical research and academics related to cancer care. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS (800-527-6266) or visit www.karmanos.org. Follow Karmanos on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
MEDIA CONTACT: Patricia Ellis, 313-576-8629 or ellisp@karmanos.org
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8c74da43-0f07-47dd-96d2-0458d48aa09c