Inside the Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s 16th Annual Spring Ball

The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center held its 16th annual Spring Ball at the elegant Pierre Hotel, generously hosted by De Beers. Each year, the Spring Ball hosts over 400 of MSK’s most high-profile supporters with the ongoing mission of funding patient care and research at the hospital.

The evening began with a cocktail reception, where attendees enjoyed Champagne and an eclectic playlist with a live saxophonist. Inside, the grand ballroom featured dim fuchsia lighting, matching decor, tall candelabras, and large blooming pink hydrangea bouquets at each table. Several attendees dazzled in De Beers necklaces, earrings, and pendants, sparking from across the room.

President of the Society of MSK, Muffie Potter Aston, standing alongside her fellow committee members who proudly plan the initiative every year, welcomed her guests. “Tonight, I am applauding you. There are probably ten places, parties, and events that you could have been to tonight. Still, you chose to come here and support the Society of MSK for that,” Potter Aston told attendees. “We’re committed to understanding and finding better ways to treat cancer, not just for our own patients, but for everyone. Our vision is to be the world authority on cancer and to realize that vision needs to be a global focus,” added Dr. Lisa DeAngelis.

Afterward, Dr. T. Peter Kingham addressed the crowd, bringing awareness to the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives Program, which aims to improve cancer diagnoses for patients from low and middle-income countries. “We need to improve the outcome for patients with cancer in global countries through cutting-edge research and training. Our focus on education, prevention, diagnosis, clinical care and research, providing valuable genetic insights,” said Dr. Kingham, who splits time between New York and Nigeria working with the African Research Group for Oncology in Argo.

Attendees were thoroughly entertained by James G. Niven’s (who is celebrating his 54 years of involvement with the annual initiative) live auction and gladly donated during dinner. As guests took their last bites of dessert, DJ Twilo delighted patrons with a setlist fit for an evening of dancing. The soiree’s efforts raised over 1.9 million dollars, preserving MSK’s long-standing tradition of advancing cancer treatment.