Tennis Greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova Team Up In Houston For $1.5 Million Living Legends Night
Fighting Cancer and Raising Life-Saving Funds In MD Anderson's Living Legends Series
By Shelby Hodge //
Take my word for it, cancer sucks. Just ask Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Robin Roberts. In one of the most moving of M.D Anderson’s “Conversation With a Living Legend” fundraisers, previous Living Legend Roberts headed a fireside style chat with the tennis greats — with Evert, Navratilova and Roberts all personally knowing the challenge of battling cancer.
So popular was this evening that the Post Oak Hotel ballroom was a sellout with more than 800 attendees and raised more than $1.5 million for cell therapy research at the renowned cancer hospital.
Competitors on the court and close friends off it later in life, Evert and Navratilova shared their joys of traveling the world in tennis competitions together and their heart rending support of one another as both faced a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Navratilova has faced cancer three times and Evert’s ovarian cancer relapsed in 2023. Evert said that she is slowly regaining strength now that her treatment is complete and she is undergoing maintenance therapy.
They both allowed that their on-the-court resilience and determination has helped them in their cancer battles.
The discussion was filled with laughter and tears as both Evert and Navratilova revealed intimacies of their challenging cancer journeys. In a particular sentimental moment, Navratilova pointed to the necklace that she was wearing. It was a gift from Evert and Navratilova said that she would wear it until her tennis friend was in full good health.
“I’m so proud of what you both did for women in sports, but also with how you have handled everything with such grace,” Roberts said at the end of the interview. “The fact that you used your platform to bring about change — to fill this room and raise money (for cancer research) — says a lot about your character.”
The takeaway? Navratilova encouraged audience members to get mammograms and Evert emphasized how genetic testing for BRCA mutations saved her life. Both women noted the importance of getting second opinions when presented with a cancer diagnosis.
The program included MD Anderson President Dr. Peter WT Pisters and Dr. Katy Rezvani, Ph.D., professor of Stem Cell Transplantation and the Sally Cooper Murray Chair in Cancer Research.
The evening was chaired by Margot Athon, Kelli Blanton, Maya Fleyhan, Vanessa Gilmore, Amy Lee, Ashley Loeffler, Sonny Messiah-Jiles and Delia Stroud. Honorary chairs included Patsy Fourticq, Joan Schnitzer, Cyvia Wolff and Barbara Hurwitz, each longtime supporters of MD Anderson.
PC Seen: Robin Givens, Bonner and George Ball, Regina Rogers, Amber Laign, Dancie and Jim Ware, Jodie Jiles, Ellen and Robert Wagnon, Eddy Blanton, Karen and Mike Mayell, Samantha and Terry McPhail, Gregory Fourticq and John Cone, Rachel and Todd Auwarter, Kristin and Hugh Hamilton, Nicole Katz, Laura Spanjian and Susan Christian, Ellie and Michael Francisco, Estela Cockrell, and Dr. Katherine Pisters.
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