You can make a difference

Dear Friends,

Cancer touches many lives — patients and physicians, siblings and scientists, and so many others. Our 2014 UCI Health Gala, "Healers & Heroes," celebrates them all — the dedicated caregivers and researchers of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center who are on the front lines, fighting to end cancer.

I invite you to be part of this celebration of success and hope at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on April 26, 2014. Our honorary committee — chaired by Nancy and Jeff Stack and Sandy and David Stone — is excited to introduce you to the people of our cancer center, the individuals who are exceptionally skilled at making life better for the patients and families affected by the many faces of this disease.

You will see how the Orange County community has made a difference in the lives of friends and neighbors — and people around the world — by generously supporting cancer research and patient care.

On a personal level, I look forward to presenting this year’s CEO Leadership Award to Michael Hayde. Mike’s philanthropic leadership has truly changed how patients experience care at the cancer center and across UCI Health. His generous spirit, astute guidance and steadfast commitment to making world-class care accessible to Orange County residents has helped to shape our identity as a place where exceptionally talented, compassionate people devote themselves to anticipating the wants and needs of others.

The evening concludes on an energetic note, with dancing to the ever-popular sounds of JT & Friends, led by John Tu, co-founder of Kingston Technology and a generous friend to UCI Health.

In this era of shrinking government research dollars and shifting healthcare priorities, the cancer center, Orange County's only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, delivers excellent care and makes life-saving discoveries because of people like you. Your support of this year’s gala is one more way you can be part of changing what it means to be diagnosed with cancer.

I hope to see you there.

Best regards,

Terry A. Belmont
Chief Executive Officer, UC Irvine Medical Center