Breast Cancer Research Foundation

A successful fundraising event of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (646-497-2600) took place recently at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The foundation is the first and largest not-for-profit organization dedicated solely to funding clinical and genetic research on breast cancer. Since its founding in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder of The Est�e Lauder Companies Inc., the organization has awarded $30 million to top-tier investigators all over the United States and recently in Israel as well. In October of 2001, BCRF awarded $8.5 million to 50 eminent scientists at 37 institutions covering 18 states.

This year donors and celebrities enjoyed Sir Elton John as their gala dinner impresario and also Diana Krall. They performed a concert in what was defined as '2002 Benefit Gala Rhapsody in Pink.' Paula Zahn was the mistress of ceremonies. Among the plethora of stars who attended this event were the following: Governor George Pataki and First Lady of New York, Libby Pataki; Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Evelyn and Leonard Lauder; Aerin Lauder and Eric Zinterhofer; Jane Lauder; Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline; Lionel I. Pincus and HRH Princess Firyal; Joan Rivers; Ingrid Sischy and Karen Brant; Linda S. Stein; Candice Bergen and her husband Marshall Rose; Elizabeth Vargas; and Henry Silverman.

The organizers and the leaders of this event were the following dignitaries: Rhapsody in Pink Honorary Co-Chair: Dr. Larry Norton, Head Solid Tumor Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Rhapsody in Pink Underwriters: Mrs. Est�e Lauder, In Style, George Hall of Clinton Group, Mrs. Edmond J. Safra, and the Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Family. 85% of the donations cover many projects of the breast cancer research. Recently, the foundation conducted research of breast cancer among Ashkenazi Jewish women.

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