Dominique Sachse of KPRC Local 2, Myra Biblowit, Maralyn Steinberg Lakin
Janet Gurwitch, Maralyn Lakin, Roz Pactor
For those of you that may not have known, Evelyn Lauder, wife of Leonard Lauder and daughter-in-law of Estee Lauder, lost her battle with cancer this past year. However, she did not lose her own personal fight without making amazing strides in raising millions of dollars in funds through her research foundation, for other women, which she founded in 1993. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation has raised more than $380 million to advance the most promising breast cancer research worldwide that will hopefully lead to prevention and a cure in our lifetime. If you were like me, you certainly knew of this amazing woman and all that she was doing in NYC but was unaware of all the research funding that her foundation was reaching out to within our own community through many of the brilliant breast cancer innovators at MD Anderson that receive grants from this organization to the tune of $25 million in total, including $3.76 million this year alone.
The BCRF team was here on October 16th for their first luncheon in our town, chaired by Lauder friend, current NYC resident and former Houstonian, Maralyn Steinberg Lakin (an old Foley’s pal) and as Honorary Chairmen, William Dillard III and Leonard Lauder. Also in attendance to show their support, were many of Marilyn’s hometown family and friends and many of the city’s top retailers both present and past, that showed up to give their shout out to this foundation and this family’s contributions to ending this disease.
Drs. Sharon H. Giordano and Cliff Hudis, Maralyn Lakin, Drs. Gabriel N. Hortobagyi and C. Kent Osborne
Guests were welcomed by Evelyn’s longtime friend and associate, Myra Biblowit, who began with an emotional video of Mrs. Lauder documenting all of the tireless efforts she has put into combating this disease…the progress is amazing. Emcee for the luncheon was our town’s Dominique Sachse from KPRC Local 2, and the audience was privy to a panel of MD Anderson’s key researchers in breast cancer treatment, Drs. Sharon Giordano, Cliff Hudis, Gabriel Hortobagyi and C. Kent Osborne.
This first time effort to bring the Message of Hope to our town brought out 200 guests to the Rice Hotel and raised $250,000, and included a gift of $100,000 from the Dillards’ family.
Below are some of the highlights of the many attendees of this tribute to Evelyn Lauder and the challenge and legacy she leaves behind….
Christine Johnston (left); Robert Sakowitz and Myra Biblowit (right)
Kelli Fondren and Jessica Johnston (left); Judy Allen, Ginger Blanton, Ann Mendelsohn, Judy Margolis, Kelli Blanton and Vesta Frommer (right)
Myra Biblowit, Debra Dumas, Lauri Frisby and Tricia Butler (left); Alex Frnka of MTV’s series, The Inbetweeners, Debbie Clemens and Dominique Sachse of KPRC Local 2 (right)
Tags: Dominique Sachse, Estee Lauder, Evelyn Lauder, Janet Gurwitch, Leonard Lauder, Maralyn Steinberg Lakin, MD Anderson, Myra Biblowit, Robert Sakowitz, Roz Pactor, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, William Dillard III
