::: George Christy ::: From the Beverly Hills Courier

ÒWe asked 100 folks to contribute $100 to buy the land where we would build our Saint JohnÕs Health Center Ð that was 65 years ago when the Sisters of Leavenworth established their mission of service and care,Ó revealed Carl McKinzie, chairman of the Saint JohnÕs board of directors. Carl was at the 14th annual black-tie Caritas Gala benefiting Saint JohnÕs at the Beverly Wilshire, with the evening honoring Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and wife Michele Chan. The good doctor and Michele committed an unprecedented $200-plus million to Saint JohnÕs, in addition to a previous gift of $35 million. Born and raised in South Africa, Dr. Soon-Shiong, a surgeon and scientist, is founder, chairman and CEO of the global pharmaceutical company Abraxis BioScience. He developed the FDA-approved drug Abraxane thatÕs been successful in treatment for metastatic breast cancer and diabetics. Speaking eloquently, he added that itÕs being developed for the treatment of lung, melanoma, prostate and other cancers, revolutionizing the advancement of medicine. With the generous funding, Dr. Soon-ShiongÕs vision is positioning Saint JohnÕs toward creating a model for delivering health care for the future. By uniting its healing ministry of compassionate care to the whole person with the success of translational medicine, Saint JohnÕs will become a beacon of hope for patients and their families. Previous honorees of the Caritas Award that reflects the spirit of charity, compassion and commitment include James Stewart, who was the first recipient, followed by Nancy Reagan, Howard Keck, Angela Lansbury, Robert Wagner, Sister Marie Madeleine, Martin Sheen, Maria Shriver and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. Caritas is Latin for love or charity. On behalf of Saint JohnÕs, Irene Dunne Guild, philanthropist Marion Jorgensen was presented with the Spirit of Saint JohnÕs Award. Recalling when the 1994 earthquake rattled and devastated this medical starship, Saint JohnÕs president and CEO Lou Lazatin informs that Òit was Marion who organized the campaign of support to help rebuild the hospital, getting construction of the replacement back on track, on time and on budget.Ó After Marion accepted the award, her family that includes developer son Donald Bren, announced they were contributing $l million to Saint JohnÕs. Accompanying himself on the piano, Burt Bacharach sang a number of his platinum hits with those classic lyrics by Hal David. Congratulations were proffered to Gala chair Catherine Corlin for choosing an excellent dinner of beef tenderloin and orchestrating an evening of enthusiastic patronage. Nancy Reagan, the longtime friend of Marion Jorgensen, was among the guests, as were Betsy Bloomingdale with author Burt Boyar, Courier publisher Clif Smith with wife Candace. Design Magazine editor Marcia Hobbs sat with Castle Rock president Greg Paul and younger brother Geoffrey Paul, a managing director with Bear Stearns, where Geoffrey manages the Jimmy Stewart estate. He also attends to the estate of the late decorating genius, Billy Haines, whose designs from the Õ30s and Õ40s and Õ50s are snapped up by young collectors at major prices. He adds that Jimmy StewartÕs daughter Kelly, whose mother Gloria was a huge supporter of the Los Angeles Zoo, has studied and researched the lives of gorillas with Dian Fossey, and is considered among todayÕs leading experts. ÒSeeing is believing, hindsight is foresight, a pictureÕs worth a thousand words, and Dr. Tony makes it all come true.Ó So decree advertising visionary and MoCA board chief Cliff Einstein with wife Mandy in their salute to Dr. Tony Nesburn, the beloved ophthalmologist who looks after the Einsteins and luminaries the likes of Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer, Barbra Streisand and Jim Brolin, the Gyllenhaal family, Lili and Dick Zanuck, Lily Tomlin, and us plain folks. The Discovery Eye Foundation Ð Òa true innovator on the cutting edge of sight conservation and a premiere eye care center in our Nation,Ó to quote Senator Dianne Feinstein Ð honored Dr. Tony, philanthropist Iris Cantor and Jim Mazzo, who heads Advanced Medical Optics and works closely with Dr. Nesburn and the foundationÕs chairman Jack Schollerman in creating the proposed Eye Institute at UC Irvine. ÒHeÕs spent thirty years of relentless research, which is his lifetime priority, and he continues nonstop,Ó noted Dr. TonyÕs eye surgeon daughter Kristin and her brother Matt about their indefatigable dad during the fundraising dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel. ÒHis passion grows stronger every day as he dreams of cures for eye diseases and restoring sight.Ó We learned that Dr. Tony is a UCLA magna cum laude graduate, having joined his father, Dr. Henry Nesburn in half-private practice, and has since practicd with his wife Cristina Kenny and daughter Kirstin. His research focuses on macular degeneration, infections of the eye, corneal diseases, clinical trials and laser refractive surgery where he was involved in the pioneering studies of laser vision correction. HeÕs been associated with USCÕs Doheny Eye Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLAÕs Jules Stein Eye Institute. Guests were privileged to meet Tom Sullivan, who was blinded as an infant when the incubator saved his life but cost him his eyesight from being given too much oxygen, and whose achievements include author, actor, musician, Good Morning America correspondent, athlete and motivational speaker. Very moving was the video clip of Tom plunging into the familyÕs swimming pool to rescue his young daughter from drowning. Stefanie Powers sang her favorite ballads, and abundant thank-yous were bestowed upon co-chairs, Beverly Gelfand and Sue Marshall, who coordinated the evening of friendship with style and grace. The Beverly Hills HotelÕs ballroom is a beautiful venue with its seashell-pink walls, very flattering to women, and would that more events were planned there. Now comes word from Prevention magazine concerning cell phones. Dr. Keith Black, director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurological Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, claims he is not convinced cell phones are safe. Prevention additionally quotes Òa recent Finnish study published in the International Journal of Cancer that showed using a cell phone exclusively on one side of the head over a 10-year period increased brain tumor risk by 39%. Until the issue of cell phone safety is resolved definitely, play it safe and purchase a headset; reliable ones can be found for as little as $10. Using an earpiece keeps the microwaves that your phone emits far away from your head. The explosive growth of cell phones has occurred only in the past decade Ð too short a time to reveal a spike in brain cancers, which are thought to develop slowly.Ó In the New York Post, Professor Kjell Mild of SwedenÕs Orbero University cautions not to give children cell phones. The risk of tumors increases on the side of the brain when using them an hour a day for a decade. Because of their thinner skulls, children are more vulnerable. Although the latest report funded by the British government found there was only Òa faint hintÓ of a link between long-term use and brain cancer. All the same, isnÕt Òa faint hintÓ of some concern? Online at www.bhcourier.com.