The 2004 Pink Ribbon Ball held October 1, 2004 at the Westmount Country Club in West Paterson, New Jersey was a huge success! Along with commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of The Octoberwoman Foundation, the foundation and its generous contributors, 707 to be exact, raised over $350,000 for breast cancer research. Highlights of the evening included special guest, James Gandolfini, from the hit HBO series “The Soprano’s”. Many of James costars joined him for the evening and lent their support to his local, hometown charity.
The Foundation was pleased to honor Dr. Charles Hesdorffer, Director of the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program and Cellular Immunotherapy Research
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Program at Columbia University, as well as Director of the DiBella Laboratory. Dr. Hesdorffer has made great strides in the field of marrow stem cell transplants and has gained significant national recognition in regard to the treatment of patients with various tumors. In addition to honoring Dr. Hesdorffer, New Jersey State Senator Henry McNamara was honored for his leadership in health care reform and his contributions and commitment to his community and family. Dr. Hesdorffer has served as a Medical Advisor and Senator McNamara has served on the Board of The Octoberwoman Foundation since its inception in 1994.
Guests of the evening included HBO "Soprano" stars Tony Sirico, James Gandolfini, Jamie-Lynn Discala, Steve Schirripa, and Vince Curatola.
Our annual Hope for the Future Award was presented to Arlene Krave from Emerson, New Jersey. The Hope for the Future Award is presented on behalf of the Foundation to honor those who have a personal connection to breast cancer, either through survival or through a family member losing the fight and those who have a connection to the community we all share. Arlene was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991 at the young age of thrity-one. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. After a reoccurrence in 1994, Arlene was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastactic breast cancer and had a stem cell transplant in 1995 under the direction of Dr. Hesdorffer. She is currently on hormone therapy. She is an active volunteer with The Octoberwoman Foundation, in addition to being a Reach to Recovery Volunteer for the American Cancer Society.
Honorees of the 2004 Pink Ribbon Ball Dr. Charles Hesdorffer, Director at the bone marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program and Cellular Immunotherapy Research Program at Columbia University and New Jersey State Senator Henry McNamara.
Dr. J. Gregory Mears, M.D. of Columbia University Medical Center introduces Dr. Charles Hesdorffer one of the Honorees of the evening.
James Gandolfini from "The Sopranos" presents check in the amount of $125,000 on behalf of The Octoberwoman Foundation to Dr. Charles Hesdorffer from Columbia University.
