Since its inception 16 years ago, M.D. Anderson's "Making Cancer History" seminar in Aspen has been one of the intellectual highlights of the season that is chockablock with gray matter confabs. Likewise, the accompanying party hosted each year by Barbara and Gerald Hines is one of the must-attend benefits of the summer.
The well-heeled crowd, most from Houston, soaked up the cool mountain air on the banks of the Roaring Fork River, partied in a whimsically decorated tent and raised $50,000 for the cancer center.
On Monday, 270 participants packed to near capacity the Paepcke Auditorium at the Aspen Institute where for two hours M.D. Anderson president Dr. Ron DePinho led a distinguished group of doctors and faculty in a discussion on the latest breakthroughs in the Moon Shots program. He was joined by M.D. Anderson chair of immunology James Allison, Melanoma and Skin Center director Dr. Jeff Gershenwald, chair of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine Dr. Karen Lu and chair of Genomic Medicine Dr. Lynda Chin.
That evening, the Hineses opened the tree-shrouded grounds of their Aspen vacation home to 200 friends and supporters of M.D. Anderson. The well-heeled crowd, most from Houston, soaked up the cool mountain air on the banks of the Roaring Fork River, partied in a whimsically decorated tent and raised $50,000 for the cancer center. As is Hines tradition for this party, the tent is typically dressed in a colorful theme, this year the nod was to the tropics with pink topiary flamingos at the entry and green topiary monkeys swinging from the tent rafters.
In recent years, Barbara Hines, a talented artist, has created a special work to be auctioned at the M.D. Anderson event. On Monday, DePinho and Chin were high bidders on 60 x 54-inch painting "Aspen Trees on Independence Pass." The winning bid of $9,000 added to the kitty earmarked for the Moon Shots program.
Savoring the beauty of this sunset party were Leslie and Jack Blanton Jr., Denise Monteleone, Judy Allen, Estela and David Cockrell, Jackie and Connelly McGreevy, Laura and Andrew McCullough, George Lancaster, Ellie and Michael Francisco, Mary and Will Williams, Susan Nutt and Alex Dell.
Dr. Ron DePinho, from left, Dr. Lynda Chin with Barbara and Gerry Hines.
