Inside The Society of MSK’s Annual Spring Ball

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The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering hosted its 18th Annual Spring Ball on Tuesday, filling the storied ballroom of The Plaza Hotel with an impossibly glamorous and philanthropic crowd. This year’s event supported The Society’s initiative, Innovations to Transform Breast Cancer Treatment and Outcomes, and, as noted by The Society’s President, Claudia Overstrom, it proved to be a record-breaking occasion in terms of attendance.

Guests entering the grand ballroom were met with a spectacle of towering floral arrangements and verdant trees planted throughout the space—an awe-inspiring display that, although breathtaking, posed a “unique” challenge for auctioneer Lydia Fenet, who cheekily pointed out her difficulty in spotting paddle-raisers through the foliage (also a convenient excuse, perhaps, for those wishing to avoid eye contact). Still, the evening was nothing short of a triumph, raising over $2.3 million, including more than $680,000 dedicated to advancing MSK’s pioneering breast cancer research.

Sai De Silva

The festivities began with a packed cocktail hour, where notable attendees such as Lauren Santo Domingo, Joanna Baker de Neufville, Malcolm Carfrae, Sai De Silva, PJ Pascual, Marcella Hymowitz, and Priya Shukla mingled and toasted beneath The Plaza’s gilded ceilings. As the striking of the gong announced the transition to dinner, Chairwomen Lisa Errico, Marcie Pantzer, Joline Stemerman, Virginia W. Tomenson, and Sarah Wetenhall led guests into the main ballroom reimagined by Lewis Miller Design as an enchanting springtime garden. The guests themselves matched the grandeur of the evening, donning florals, crystal embellishments, and dazzling diamonds—thanks in part to sponsors Oscar de la Renta and GRAFF.

Beyond the visual splendor, the heart of the evening lay in its mission: to support the transformative work of Dr. Shanu Modi. Her cutting-edge research is revolutionizing the treatment of breast cancer through next-generation anti-HER2 therapies, the integration of liquid biopsy technology for earlier detection, and the development of adaptive clinical trials designed to outmaneuver treatment resistance. In a bold new clinical trial, Dr. Modi is not merely seeking to manage breast cancer—but to eradicate it entirely.

Following her empowering address, guests were treated to a delectable dinner beginning with a burrata salad, and continuing on with the tenderest of filet mignons. The meal finished off with a rich duo of cheesecake and s’mores-inspired baked Alaska. As DJ Pamela Tick took to her tables, the dance floor was quickly filled by many with cocktails in hand, and the evening continued well into the midnight hour—a perfect cap to an evening that was both ground-breaking and record-breaking!