| ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER
Bark for Joy at
Flaherty Oncology Lab Story by Roger Webster
Photos by Jimi Celeste for Patrick McMullan  HE Tails & Tiaras gala at the Doubles Club in New York’s Sherry Netherland Hotel raised over $300,000 for the Flaherty Comparative Oncology Laboratory at the Animal Medical Center in New York City.
Mario Buatta, Wendy Carduner, Karen Clark, Tina Flaherty and Carroll Petrie served as co-chairs. Harry Winston provided the diamond tiaras and the tails were on pooches. Guests and committee members, including Susan Lucci and her husband Helmut Huber, Rachel and Ara Hovnanian, CeCe Cord, Cynthia Phipps, Lynette and Howard Gittis, Josie and Kenneth Natori, Judith Peterson and Tom Panas, Felicia Taylor and Mitch Kreiger, Dr. Karen Aiken, Dr. Guy Pidgeon, Shelby Thompson, Karen LeFrak, Ace and Kathy Greenberg, Muriel Siebert, Patty Francy, John Mackenzie, Paul Pomfret and Susan Brown, Raul Schwarz, Iris Love, Bill and Brian Flaherty, enjoyed cocktails, dinner and dancing in the warm, glamorous Doubles atmosphere. Dr. Philip Bergman, who heads the laboratory, spoke of the success he and his distinguished team have had with their cancer research. He presented two of their happy canine patients, Scotty and Devlin, thanked supporters, and introduced Dr. Jedd Wolchok of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The Flaherty Comparative Oncology Laboratory has formed an alliance with researchers at MSKCC, among others. One of the most recent results of this unique partnership is the successful DNA vaccine treatment of 40 dogs diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Pet psychic Cynthia Fellows gave readings to those who brought photos of their pets –alive or deceased. She divined reasons behind behavioral problems like chewing on shoes or incessant barking. The Candy Man, Shan Ichiyanagi, from Japan and Los Angeles, made amazing spun sugar sculptures to order. In the center of each table were sculptures of various dog and cat breeds by Sandicast, Inc. There was a live auction of a painting by lifestyle portrait artist Constance Coleman, travel bags from CeCe Cord’s Travels With Tiger line, and a jeweled Judith Lieber Bulldog minaudiere. Lancaster Estate Winery, Mindy and Randy Levine, Dr. Howard Sobel’s DDF Skin Products, Tom Kaufman Productions, and Muttley Crew Productions were among other gift donors. |
