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More than 350 supporters of the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging gathered at Rockefeller Center's famed Rainbow Room on October 26 for the FHA's seventh annual Lifetime of Caring Gala.
The black tie event, overlooking Manhattan's glittering nighttime skyline, celebrated the accomplishments of individuals and institutions whose work has contributed -- in important and diverse ways -- to the health and wellbeing of older adults. It also celebrated the vital work of the FHA, which advocates on behalf of older adults and their special healthcare needs, supports research on aging, and offers numerous public education and support programs for older people and those who care for them. The evening -- capped by a performance by legendary soprano Barbara Cook -- raised more than $525,000 for the Foundation's vital work.
During the event, the FHA honored Greenwich Hospital, in Greenwich, Connecticut, with its first Excellence in Geriatrics Care Award in recognition of the hospital's superlative geriatrics programs. Greenwich Hospital President and CEO Frank A. Corvino accepted the award, which pays tribute to institutions that have made extraordinary strides in improving the quality of life of older adults and their families.
Al Roker, Emmy Award-winning co-host of NBC News' "Today" show, and his wife, Deborah Roberts, Emmy Award-winning correspondent with ABC News' "20/20," received the FHA's new Celebrating Our Parents Award. The award, for exceptional commitment to enhancing the quality of life of older adults, recognized, among other things, the many stories focusing on the needs and contributions of older adults that Roberts and Roker have reported. The couple announced that they were sharing the honor with Roberts' sister, Celestine Clarington, the primary caregiver for her aging mother, who joined Roker and Roberts in accepting the award.
In recognition of his outstanding business, civic and philanthropic leadership, and for Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation's commitment to the wellbeing of older adults, their families and the communities in which they live, the Foundation presented Novartis CEO Alex Gorsky, with its Discovery Award. A crucial advocate for research concerning the treatment of dementia and other health problems affecting older adults, Gorsky was also a driving force behind the discount drug plan Novartis introduced before Medicare launched its prescription drug benefit early this year.
The FHA's Lifetime of Caring Award went to American painter Jane Freilicher. A pioneering artist for more than five decades, Freilicher introduced elements of abstraction into representational painting at a time when Abstract Expressionism dominated the art world, and is well known for her landscapes, city scapes, still lifes and novel combinations of these genres. The award recognizes both individuals who, through public service, philanthropy or research have made a significant contribution to the care and well-being of older adults, and individuals whose lives and work are testimony to the potential for great creativity, insight, accomplishment, and vitality throughout life.
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