Rays of Hope™ Gala
2010 Rays of Hope™ Awards Gala
The Rays of Hope Awards Gala is NCCS's premier event that celebrates cancer survivorship and honors leaders in the cancer survivorship movement. It provides a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of individuals and organizations whose efforts have advanced the NCCS mission of advocating for quality cancer care for all Americans, while helping raise approximately 30 percent of NCCS's annual revenue.
Just announced - 2010 Honorees
• Natalie Davis Spingarn Writer's Award
for True Compass, a memoir of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Presented to members of the Kennedy family
The NCCS Natalie Davis Spingarn Writer's Award for True Compass, a memoir of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Dedicated to his wife, Vicki, the book bears tribute to the "other survivors" who support people diagnosed with cancer. Accepting the award will be members of the Kennedy family.
• Catherine Logan Award for Service to Survivorship
Presented to Abbe Raven
President & CEO
A&E Television Networks
Abbe Raven, President and Chief Executive Officer of A&E Television Networks, is recognized for taking bold steps in empowering those with a cancer diagnosis to live their lives to the fullest. Ms. Raven's visionary leadership exemplifies service to survivorship.
• Lilly Tartikoff/Entertainment Industry Foundation Hope Award
Special Presentation
This year's gala will be held at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2010, from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
To purchase tickets ($250/per ticket), contact Colleen Hughes at chughes@canceradvocacy.org.
For media inquiries, contact Linah Lubin at llubin@canceradvocacy.org.
Past Gala honorees at this event include: Mariska Hargitay, Cokie Roberts, Katie Couric, Lilly Tartikoff, Sam Donaldson, Dr. Harold Freeman, Senators Kennedy, Rockefeller and Mack, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (Ret.), Her Majesty Queen Noor, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Margaret Edson, among many other distinguished and deserving honorees.
2009 Rays of Hope™ Awards Gala
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) held the 2009 Rays of Hope® Awards Gala on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, in Washington, D.C. at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Our emcee for the evening was Bob Schieffer, cancer survivor and CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent and host of Face the Nation. The Honorable Tommy Thompson, The Honorable Donna Shalala, Lilly Tartikoff and Ted Kennedy, Jr. served as the Honorary Gala Co-Chairs. At the Gala, NCCS honored Doug Ulman, cancer survivor, founder of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and President of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, as well as Mariska Hargitay of NBC’s Law and Order SVU for their efforts in raising awareness about cancer survivorship issues.
2008 Rays of Hope™ Awards Gala Highlights
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) held the annual Rays of Hope® Awards Gala on Wednesday, May 7, 2008, in Washington, D.C. NCCS was pleased to honor Bob Schieffer, bladder cancer survivor and CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent and host of Face the Nation, Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Mike Burg, lymphoma survivor and CEO of Edge Marketing, and the Boston Red Sox Organization. Dan Abrams, cancer survivor, NCCS Board member, and host of MSNBC’s “Verdict with Dan Abrams” and Chief Legal Correspondent served as emcee, while Sam Donaldson and Jan Smith Donaldson served as award hosts for the evening. NCCS celebrated cancer survivorship with artwork from the Lilly Oncology on Canvas Art Competition and Exhibition on display throughout the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.
2007 Rays of Hope™ Awards Gala Highlights
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) celebrated cancer survivorship through fashion and the arts at the annual Rays of Hope® Awards Gala on May 2, 2007, in Washington, D.C. Dan Abrams, General Manager of MSNBC and Chief Legal Correspondent, NBC News and NCCS board member, again served as Master of Ceremonies. NCCS honored Louis Vuitton, a luxury product company; Carmen Marc Valvo, fashion designer; Ann Hand, jewelry designer; Look Good…Feel Better®, a program of the Cosmetics, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) Foundation; and the authors of the book Nordie’s at Noon.
To continue the theme of fashion and art in cancer survivorship, artwork from the Lilly Oncology on Canvas: Expressions of a Cancer Journey International Art Competition and Exhibition adorned the walls of the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.
2006 Rays of Hope™ Awards Gala Highlights
For 20 years NCCS has been lighting the way to quality care for cancer survivors. On Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. we celebrated the 20th anniversary of NCCS. Dan Abrams, host of MSNBC’s “The Abrams Report” and NBC News chief legal correspondent, served as the master of ceremonies. At this special anniversary celebration, corporate sponsors, philanthropists, Members of Congress and NCCS friends paid special tribute to 20 Rays of Hope — individuals and groups that have made extraordinary contributions to cancer survivorship. The Rays of Hope honorees included The Honorable Lois Capps, Katie Couric, Sam Donaldson, Dr. John Durant, Dr. Harold Freeman, Scott Hamilton, The Honorable Connie Mack III, Pearl Moore, Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, Queen Noor of Jordan, Dr. Antonia Novello, Rep. Deborah Pryce, Cokie Roberts, The Honorable John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Dr. Julia Rowland, Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA (Ret), Lilly Tartikoff, Jessica Turri, Institute of Medicine, Cancer Survival Toolbox® Team.
Since 1998, NCCS has celebrated the unique contributions of cancer survivors, advocates and supporters at its annual awards gala. In celebration of NCCS’s 20th anniversary the name of the annual awards gala has been changed from Ribbon of Hope® to Rays of Hope®.
2005 Ribbon of Hope® Awards Gala Highlights
At the 2005 annual Ribbon of Hope® Awards Gala on Tuesday, April 19 NCCS celebrated the "Passion to Make a Difference" and recognized those individuals and organizations who share a passion for improving health care, a passion for supporting individuals and families devastated by this disease and, ultimately, a passion for cancer survivorship. The evening was hosted by Dan Abrams, host of MSNBC’s “Abrams Report” and NBC Chief Legal Correspondent. Honorees included Karen Duffy, General Electric, Clifton Leaf, Dr. Mark McClellan, National Committee for Quality Assurance and The Prostate Net. The evening also included a special tribute to Celia Cruz.
2004 Ribbon of Hope® Awards Gala Highlights
The 2004 black-tie event was hosted by NCCS Board Member Jan Smith Donaldson and her husband, ABC News Correspondent Sam Donaldson, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC on April 20, 2004. Honorees included Peter Barton and Laurence Shames, Laurie McGinley, Karen Parles and Suzanne Wright.
2003 Ribbon of Hope® Awards Gala Highlights
The 2003 black-tie event was hosted by Jan Smith Donaldson and her husband, ABC News Correspondent Sam Donaldson at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC on April 1, 2003. Honorees included Robert Bazell, Carole Black, Fran Drescher and Cindy H. Melacon.
