On Saturday, June 9, more than 400 guests attended the Digestive Health Foundation‘s 3rd Annual Gala and raised $2.41 million to help patients and families at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center affected by digestive diseases.
A special evening co-emceed by Chicago television news anchors Mary Ann Childers and Jay Levine, the night honored Dr. Steven J. Stryker, a colon and rectal surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and professor of clinical surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and his wife, Andrea J. Schwartz, vice president of media relations for Macy’s, U.S.
“We are thrilled to honor Dr. Stryker in recognition of his long-standing leadership in gastroenterological surgery and his deep commitment to patient and family centered care,” says Lee Gould, the president of the Digestive Health Foundation. “We are truly grateful to Dr. Stryker and his wife, Andrea Schwartz, for their contributions to ensure a successful and enjoyable evening for the benefit of digestive health.”
The gala included a night full of exciting live auction, cocktails, dinner, and dancing. The evening’s entertainment was provided by TVK Orchestra.
The Digestive Health Foundation’s mission is to provide care for the 60 to 70 million Americans diagnosed with digestive conditions, including colorectal and pancreatic cancers, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease. Over the course of three years, the DHF Gala has raised more than $6 million. Previous proceeds from the event have underwritten 30 research studies, provided two advanced physician fellowships, and established the Digestive Health Foundation BioRepository, a tissue bank designed to support global research on digestive diseases and other medical disorders.
Haley Yamada is a summer intern for the editorial staff at Make It Better. She is currently working toward a journalism degree from Medill at Northwestern University and plans to graduate in June of 2020. Her work has been published in Spoon University Magazine and on the Northwestern News Network. In her free time she enjoys reading, running, and her pug, Odie. Last year, she ran the Chicago Marathon for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicagoand continues to support the organization today.
