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"A Cheerful Spirit is Good Medicine:" Maya Angelou, Ashford & Simpson, Girls Choir of Harlem Bring Emotion, Poignancy to FHA Lifetime of Caring Gala

New York, NY-- On October 17, the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health In Aging (FHA) held its third annual Lifetime of Caring Gala at New York City's Plaza Hotel, the culmination of a year of successful advocacy, public education, and community outreach efforts undertaken by the Foundation on behalf of older adults. It was also a celebration of the life and work of literary icon Dr. Maya Angelou, the personification of health in aging that the FHA looks to promote and support.

Accepting the award, Dr. Angelou immediately disarmed the crowd by singing a few lines of "This Little Light of Mine." "A cheerful spirit is good medicine," she remarked, admonishing the attendees to live a full, rich life and not to take its everyday gifts for granted. She cautioned against allowing negativity to weigh us down. "Whining makes us ugly. It lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood."

NBC's Dr. David Marks emceed the event. Other honorees included Pharmacia Corporation chairman and CEO Fred Hassan, who won the Discovery Award in recognition of Pharmacia's commitment to senior-oriented research. Carrie Cox, Pharmacia's executive vice president, accepted the award on his behalf.

Emotions ran high as the Girls Choir of Harlem took the stage in tribute to Dr. Angelou. Punctuated by snippets of Angelou's poems, the girls performed a medley of five songs, including a gospel-infused rendition of Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance." By the song's end, Angelou herself was dancing between the tables, prompting others in attendance to do the same.

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The society supports this mission through activities in: clinical practice; professional education on the clinical care of older people; research; public education and information; public policy efforts; and through collaborative relationships with other organizations. For more information about AGS programs and initiatives, visit the AGS Web site at www.americangeriatrics.org.