Samuel Waxman Cancer Gala Draws 750 Attendees to Cipriani Wall Street

Samuel Waxman Cancer Gala Draws 750 Attendees to Cipriani Wall Street

Reporting and Photos: Lieba Nesis

The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) held its 27th annual Collaborating For A Cure Gala on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at Cipriani Wall Street with cocktails beginning at 6:30 PM.  SWCRF was founded in 1976 and has since raised $120 million to support the work of more than 200 researchers around the globe. The foundations “Institute Without Walls” program fosters collaboration among leading scientists worldwide to accelerate the pace of research, and eradicate cancer through less toxic and more effective treatments.

As one of the premier fundraising events of the year leaders from business, philanthropy and fashion join to fraternize, talk business and have fun while helping Dr. Waxman solve the puzzle of the ubiquitous disease. This year close to $5 million was raised at the sold out dinner where 750 of New York’s best and brightest paid $2500 per ticket.  The inclement weather didn’t dampen the room’s spirits as Chairman of SCWRF Michael Nierenberg gathered hundreds of his friends ensuring this is a must on every financial brokers calendar.  The night’s only honoree was CEO of Xome Holdings LLC Mike Rawls who received the Distinguished Business Leader Award and made the rare and much appreciated move of deciding to let a two minute film do all the talking-while saving the busy audience a good twenty minutes in the process.  He majestically stood on stage, took some pictures and quietly headed back to his seat.

The rest of the crowd was more verbose as they enthusiastically socialized and partied with abandon as short ribs, and a lavish dessert table added to the revelry.  One of my favorite parts of this dinner is the auctioning off of an adorable dog which this year was a mini golden doodle which raised $9000.

Dinner for four at famed eatery Rao’s went for $11,000 as this restaurant never loses its high valued allure.  We also had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Waxman on the new treatments for liver, lung, pancreatic and colon cancer as the evening’s proceeds fund more than 60 research labs.

Waxman heralded the partnership between SWCRF and the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research with plans of investing $10 million focused on the leading cause of cancer development-aging.

With a more comprehensive isolation of defective genes Waxman noted the advent of increasingly reliable treatments on the horizon.  At the reasonable hour of 9:30 PM the real fun began with a live musical performance by returning rock band “Tedeschi Trucks.”  One of the best live acts touring today husband and wife team Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi have been hailed as two of the best roots rock musicians of their generation and they lived up to that description this evening.  When the hour came to finally exit the rainy, cold weather couldn’t ruin one of those unforgettable evenings before the bustling Holiday Season gets underway.