With a Willie Nelson Surprise and John Tesh Cancer Reveal, a Bold New $2.5 Billion Campaign Is Launched By MD Anderson
The Largest Philanthropic Campaign In the Cancer Center's History
BY Shelby Hodge //
Willie Nelson and son Micha Nelson perform at the public launch of the MD Anderson Cancer Center $2.5 billion capital campaign (Photo by Michelle Watson, CatchlightGroup.com)
With $1.9 billion already committed, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center publicly launched its $2.5 billion capital campaign — Only Possible Here, The Campaign to End Cancer — during a festive evening in a massive party tent erected in the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park.
This is the largest comprehensive philanthropic campaign in the cancer center’s nearly 85-year history. The campaign focuses on three critical areas: advancing MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer, expanding the center’s reach, expediting breakthroughs and elevating the patient experience.
It was a multi-tiered evening with testimonials, remarks and surprise entertainment.
Program headliner was cancer survivor John Tesh, award-winning musician and radio-television host, who shared his prostate cancer journey and the life-saving treatment that he received at MD Anderson. He gifted the audience with a few tunes of his own. Also telling a cancer survival story was Colleen Wittoesch, a Stage IV melanoma survivor, who shared her moving testimonial, culminating in a surprise meeting with Nobel Laureate Dr. Jim Allison, who created the drug that saved her life.
In a surprise within a surprise at the latter part of the evening, Allison playing his harmonica joined Texas legend Willie Nelson on stage. The 92-year-old country mega star’s appearance, along with his son Micah Wilson, was kept under wraps adding a lively and welcome note to the evening’s proceedings. Allison and Nelson are long time friends and the physician occasionally joins the singer in his performances
Before doors opened on the 24,000-square-foot, air-conditioned tent, MD Anderson’s most dedicated supporters and ambassadors gathered for an exclusive VIP reception at the TMC3 Collaborative Building. MD Anderson president Dr. Peter WT Pisters and Clarence Cazalot, campaign chair and former chair of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, expressed their thanks to the generous supporters.
Following the seated dinner, remarks and testimonials, Willie Nelson and his band took to the stage performing a host of the country star’s favorites including “On the Road Again,” “Mamas Don’t Let You Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “You Were Always On My Mind” and closing with “It’s Hard to Be Humble.”
PC Seen: MD Anderson Board of Visitors chair Jams Gallogy, Willie Nelson’s wife Annie Nelson, University of Texas System chancellor Dr. John Zerwas, Amy and Andy Bender, Pam and Bob Wilkes, EJ Schpall, Estela and David Cockrell, Lois and James Archer, Delia and Jim Stroud, Marsha Shields, Nancy Loeffler, Sue and Tim Tinkman, and Sue and Don Sinclair.
