City of Hope announced that five leaders from the home furnishings industry will receive City of Hope’s most prestigious philanthropic honor, The Spirit of Life® Award, at a dinner and gala on April 26. Held at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons, the Spirit of Life event will officially kick off “Imagine Possibilities,” a new campaign designed to raise awareness and support for City of Hope’s immunotherapy research program. Immunotherapy seeks to reprogram the body’s immune response system to attack cancer cells in the same way it attacks the common cold. Immunotherapy research holds great promise for reducing the side effects of traditional cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation.
aspenhome is the Spirit of Life manufacturer honoree. Bill Colegrove, general manager and chief executive officer of aspenhome, spearheaded the “Imagine the Possibilities” campaign, where four leading retailers will join the campaign and list of City of Hope’s 2009 Spirit of Life recipients as retail honorees: Bill Kimbrell, chief executive officer of Star Furniture, Jeff Child, president of R.C. Willey, Irv Blumkin, chairman and chief executive officer of Nebraska Furniture Mart, and Eliot Tatelman, president and chief executive officer of Jordan’s Furniture.
“We are truly honored to have these world-class retailers partnering with us to support the research and treatment programs of City of Hope,” said Bill Colegrove. “We believe that this creative approach will transform the way our industry handles fundraising in the future. Working together, we hope to ensure that City of Hope can continue to advance promising new research such as immunotherapy to ensure patients benefit from new and more effective treatments.”
“The home furnishings industry has been a longtime supporter of City of Hope’s innovative medical research,” said Michael Sandler, director of development, City of Hope. “Especially during these challenging economic times, we truly appreciate the industry’s commitment and support for City of Hope.”
To purchase tickets for the Spirit of Life gala or for more information, contact Michael Sandler at 800-272-2310 or msandler@coh.org.
About City of Hope: City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope's research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, and is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer and urology by U.S.News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics. For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org .