Irene Dunne Guild co-hosted the 2016 Caritas Gala in partnership with the Saint John’s Health Center Foundation board of trustees Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills. The black-tie event honored Jennifer Beals with the Caritas Award; Allyson Felix with the inaugural Hope & Inspiration Award; and Kathleen McCarthy Kostlan, on behalf of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation, with the Spirit of Saint John’s Award. The Caritas Gala honors individuals who exemplify dedication and commitment to the community and embody the philosophy and mission of Saint John’s.
The evening featured a special performance by singer/songwriter and actress Alisan Porter, recent winner of NBC’s “The Voice, Season 10.”
Donna L. Schweers, chair of Saint John’s Health Center Foundation board of trustees, welcomed the more than 400 guests, noting that next year marks the 75th anniversary of Saint John’s, “…a community of care that includes a remarkable and remarkably dedicated group of physicians delivering world-class clinical care.”
Net proceeds from the gala benefit vital programs and services at the Health Center. Since 1987, the guild has raised more than $13 million and has supported Saint John’s through a wide variety of innovative philanthropic, educational and volunteer programs and services. The guild was named for the late actress Irene Dunne, considered the “First Lady” of Saint John’s.
Robert O. Klein, president and CEO of Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, presented the Spirit of Saint John’s Award to the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation. Kathleen McCarthy Kostlan, chair of the Leavey Foundation, daughter of its founders and a Saint John’s Health Center Foundation trustee accepted the award. “Kathleen and the Leavey Foundation,” said Klein “have for many, many years been ‘stand by your side’ kind of friends to us at Saint John’s, the ones who are always there in times of real need, and not just with financial support, but also encouragement, energy and vision.”
Kathleen McCarthy Kostlan serves as a trustee of the University of Southern California as well as several community and charitable boards. Thomas Leavey co-founded Farmers Insurance in 1928 based on the premise that rural drivers should pay less for insurance because they encountered less risk than their urban-dwelling counterparts. After the insurance company became one of the most successful in the nation, Leavey and his wife
Olympic Gold medalist Joanna Hayes presented the 2016 Hope & Inspiration Award to six-time Olympic champion, Allyson Felix, noting that “it is an honor to present the award to my friend and my inspiration.”
Olympian Felix is now the most decorated female track and field Olympian in history. Felix grew up in Los Angeles. She broke Marion Jones’ high-school 200-meter record in April, 2003. Weeks later, she competed in the Banamex Grand Prix in Mexico City and ran a blazing 22.11 200-meter race, a new world record in the under-20 category. Felix won three gold medals in the 2012 Olympic Games and followed that up in 2016 with two more gold medals and a silver medal.
Sheryl Ross, MD, presented the Caritas Award to “my patient and dear friend, Jennifer Beals,” describing the internationally renowned actress as “a fierce activist for social change and equality for the underdog. She sees the world as it is, but believes we have the power to make it better.”
As part of the presentation to Beals, John M. Robertson, MD, announced that the actress and activist has partnered with clothing designers and a number of Saint John’s physicians including Dr. Ross, Nicole Weinberg, MD, and himself to help research and develop a new type of bra that can be used in the everyday stress testing of women evaluated for cardiovascular disease and for women recovering from open heart surgery.
