Without the presence of Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly in the private room at Vic & Anthony's Wednesday night, it would have been difficult to decide which were the stars among the city's leading philanthropists and talented physicians who had gathered for the "Revolutionizing Neuroscience" dinner, hosted by Memorial Hermann and UTHealth.

From George Mitchell to Margaret Williams to Barbara and Gerald Hines, it was a Who's Who of giving. But, indeed, it was Giffords and Kelly who garnered the lion's share of attention. They mingled genially during the cocktail reception, she moving somewhat stifly but smiling broadly, as they greeted guests such as Tani and Tony Sanchez and Alice and Keith Mosing.

For the record, Giffords looked good, her longer hair becoming. She wore slacks and a jacket with what is developing into a signature look — a neck scarf. There was no caregiver on hand. Giffords and Kelly warmly greeted her medical team from Memorial Hermann and UTHealth.

The evening served to announce a $100 million fundraising campaign for a world-class neuroscience program, jointly operated by the two medical entities, focusing on research and clinical care for both adult and pediatric neuroscience. Memorial Hermann president and CEO Dan Wolterman explained the campaign, for which $63 million has already been raised.

Also on the program were University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) interim president Dr. Giuseppe Colasurdo, TIRR Memorial Hermann patient Staman Ogilvie and Kelly.

"What I think is the one thing that TIRR offers more than anything else is hope," Kelly said as he recalled Jan. 8 of last year when Giffords was shot in the head in Tucson, Ariz. Numerous recommendations for help for Giffords, he said, led to Dr. Dong Kim and TIRR Memorial Hermann.

"Gabby has come a long way thanks to the hard work by a lot of people and she's going to get a lot better and we are very hopeful that Gabby will get back to work one day, sooner than later . . . Please, please give generously," Kelly said.

Giffords joined her husband on the stage for a brief moment, but made no comments.

Among those sitting down to the dinner underwritten by Paige and Tilman Fertitta (seated next to close friends Giffords and Kelly) were Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Windi and David Grimes, Melinda Perrin, Mindy and Jeff Hildebrand, Jim Postl, Janet and Paul Hobby, Diane Lokey Farb, Brenda and John Duncan, Ileana and Michael Trevino and Alice and Keith Mosing.