Cris cancer celebrated it’s 5th annual gala bringing together friends and patrons to celebrate another successful year of fundraising and helping in the fight against cancer. The night was a celebration of not just the survivors but of everyone whose lives are even remotely affected by this deadly disease. The nurses, the doctors, the scientist, the mums, dad’s , children, the friends, the neighbours, the families. Each and everyone that the disease touches were Hero’s of the night.
The Great Connaught Rooms were the ideal setting for the elegant black tie event. The magnificent chandeliers of the grand ballroom glittered in the background of elegantly dressed men women.The clinking of the champagne flutes and the soft murmur of the people talking excitedly set the tone of the evening. It was almost as if we had been transformed to the regency era,such was the opulence of the evening.
The overall atmosphere was that of optimism and purpose. Each and every person present in the room was there for a sole purpose, to support CRIS CANCER FOUNDATION in it’s fight against cancer.
Not only was the night a celebration of all that CRIS had achieved during the year but also to raise money for two of its most important projects: Children’s Brain Tumours( DIPG, a highly aggressive form of brain tumour which is terminal in all cases) at the Institute of Cancer Research and setting up a Pediatric Oncological Unit at La Paz Hospital, Spain.
During a scrumptious three course dinner we all heard from Lola Manterola, founder of CRIS on the impact CRIS made to the projects that the charity supported. She acknowledged the unsung Hero’s in our fight against cancer, the donors and patrons, who not only believe in the charity and the projects that we do but also year after year donate generously to it. The gratitude that we at CRIS feel for our donors cannot be described in words. “Our charity works because of you, the donors, the Hero’s” Lola acknowledged with teary eyes.
Diego Megia, Vice President CRIS and Lola’s husband spoke about losing his mother to cancer and the urgency to invest in research against this dreaded disease.
Last but not the least we heard from Dr.Chris Jones, from ICR about the dreaded DIPG tumour in children. The fact that the all children diagnosed with this form of cancer will without exception die from it further emphasized the urgency for research.
When the target to raise £25,000 in pledges was brought forward, I am thrilled to say that more than double the stated amount was pledged.
The generosity of our donors did not end at the pledges. They open heartedly donated an astonishing 73 prices for our silent auction. From a five star villa in South Arica, to a ski chalet in Austria, to a beautiful villa in Bali, we were truly spoilt for choice. There was 3 course meal at the triple Michelin star restaurant Quique Dacosta, Alicante, to a dinner of two at the famous Zuma restaurant, London.
The wide range of prices made sure that there was something for everyone.
In the end we raised a astounding £250,000.
As the evening ended and we swayed to the music, we all had smiles on our faces because like the years before our Hero’s had once again renewed our faith in humanity and the cause that we at CRIS are fighting so hard for, a world free of cancer.