Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia and Evelyn Lauder	Charlotte Ford and David Patrick Columbia
Don and Kathy Distasio	Joe and Sherri Abruzzese
Dee Dee Ricks	Paula Zahn and Perri Peltz

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
New York Chapter Supports
Hope Lodge Cancer Patients

Story by Roger Webster
Photos by Cutty McGill

T

HE New York chapter of the American Cancer Society’s dinner benefited ACS’s four-year old Hope Lodge, a home away from home for cancer patients from outside the New York area who are in the city for treatment.

Diana Feldman, chairman of ACS Special Events, introduced Paula Zahn who served as emcee of the event at the St. Regis Roof in New York.

Jon Meacham, executive editor and executive vice president of Random House, presented the Humanitarian Award to Perri Peltz, journalist and public health advocate.

Charlotte Ford presented the Man of Achievement Award to David Patrick Columbia, editor and co-founder of the website New York Social Diary and an editor at Quest magazine.

Marvin Hamlisch entertained with a musical selection from A Chorus Line.  He followed with a song he composed for the American Cancer Society, Soon, performed by Gary Mauer.  The song looks forward to the time when everyone can celebrate the triumph over cancer.

Co-chairmen of the evening were Gigi and Harry Benson, Diana and Richard Feldman, Charlotte Ford, Brenda and Howard Johnson, Margo Langenberg, Jean and Martin Shafiroff, and Barbara and Donald Tober.

Among the guests were Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Evelyn Lauder, Cynthia and Dan Lufkin, Muffie Potter Aston, Richard Ziegelasch, Kathy and Don Distasio, Francine LeFrak and Rick Friedberg, Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Lauren and John Veronis, Sherri and Joe Abruzzese, Dr. Harold Freeman, Sara and Charles Ayres, Sharon Bush, Hilary and Joseph Califano, Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane, Arlene Dahl and Marc Rosen, Cece Cord, Ralph Destino, Alexandra Lebenthal and Jay Diamond, Robert Caravaggi, Jeffrey Hirsch, Rochelle Hirsch, Grace and Chris Meigher, Judy Price, Eric Ruttenberg, and Mady Schuman and Topsy Taylor.

For many cancer patients, treatment at New York City's medical centers offers the greatest hope, but that means they must leave their home, adding the burden of travel and lodging. Hope Lodge provides 60 private home-like guest rooms. Each guest floor includes a community kitchen and dining area, a quiet lounge and laundry facilities. And it is free to patients and their caregivers.