2012 Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics, along with 160 of her family, friends, lung cancer survivors, doctors, scientists and advocates gathered on Oct. 19 at Pine Brook Country Club in Weston, Mass., raising awareness and over $150,000 in funds for lung cancer research. The money raised will support the Uniting Against Lung Cancer (UALC) national lung cancer research grant program.
The gala paid tribute to the late Nancy Raisman, who lost her battle with lung cancer in 2011, just before her granddaughter triumphed at the Olympics. Raisman paid tribute to her grandmother’s memory and acknowledged all those touched by lung cancer.
“My grandmother was an inspiration to me. She told me never to give up on my dream. I feel honored to have played a role in raising the funds to create a research grant in her name,” Raisman said.
Also in attendance were Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison, NHL Hall of Fame player Brian Leetch and Silvia and Mihai Brestyan, Raisman’s coaches. Raisman’s specially invited guests included Jeff Bauman, Boston Marathon bombing victim, and Carlos Arredondo, who heroically saved Jeff’s life.
Committed to fighting lung cancer by searching for a cure and focusing greater attention on the world’s leading cancer killer, Uniting Against Lung Cancer has funded more than $10 million in new and cutting-edge research since 2003. UALC has been an active presence in the Boston area for over a decade, supporting research at the city’s medical institutions, and was a recipient of the MGH one hundred this year.