John Stamos Helps Power a $10.5 Million Houston Night — Standing Up Against Cancer With MD Anderson

The buzz was on well before the curtain went up on the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s 80th anniversary soirèe. With 15 event chairs, 35 co-chairs, 28 honorary chairs and four executive event chairs, all of whom are notable individuals, the night of golden oldie music and celebration was bound to succeed.

And indeed it did bringing in a whopping $10.5 million, well above the $8 million goal.

The Toyota Center was transformed into party central as more than 2,500 high rollers headed to boxes and onto the floor where plush velvet sofas and leather club chairs, floral arrangements and out of this world food stations set the stage for a glorious evening.

Actor John Stamos emceed the program that featured a remarkable lineup of musicians headlined by the Beach Boys who were joined in their performance by rare cancer survivor, musician and the evening’s executive chair Jeffrey Foskett. And therein lies the underlying story of this evening.

In 2019, Foskett, who had been performing with the Beach Boys, was diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer, a rare malignancy. The prognosis from his California hospital was grim. He turned to MD Anderson for a second opinion and a treatment was developed to reduce his cancer. MD Anderson experts diagnose and treat 5,000 patients with rare cancers each year.

In the end on this evening, Foskett and Stamos joined the Beach Boys in performing many of the group’s popular tunes including “Barbara Ann” and “Surfin’ USA.” For Foskett — a vocalist, musician and arranger who earned his credentials performing pop classics with the Beach Boys, America and Jeff Beck — it was his first time to perform in more than three years.

Foskett had enlisted his friends and industry contacts to be part of the evening’s entertainment. Artists including Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, The Commodores and Generation Radio featuring Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts and Jason Scheff of Chicago gathered in support of Foskett and in the effort which was not only about fundraising but also raising awareness of rare cancers.

As executive chairs Foskett was joined by his wife Diana, and Suzie and Don Sinclair.

Among the heavy-hitters holding positions as honorary and event chairs were Susan and James L. Baker III, Cheryl and Percy Cruezot, Windi and David Grimes, Jeri and Marc Shapiro, Red McCombs, Nancy Loeffler, Janet and Ernie Cockrell, Maureen and Jim Hackett, Winell and William Herron, and Penny and Don Evans.

PC Seen: Jo Lynn and Gregg Falgout, Barbara Hurwitz, Patsy Fourticq, Regina Rogers, Anne and Dr. Jim Muntz, Susie and Don Sinclair, Whitney Crane, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, Mel Klein, Joan Schnitzer, Phoebe Tudor, Ginger Blanton, and Roxann and Tim Neumann.