Frankly, An Inspiration
NEWPORT BEACH — The 10th Annual Let’s Be Frank About Cancer gala, held on March 23 at the Pendry Hotel in Newport Beach, raised $2.1 million for cancer research, more than doubling the organization’s goal of $1 million.
The amount includes a $1 million gift from a longtime Let’s Be Frank supporter and gala host committee member who chose to remain anonymous. All funds raised through the event will provide funding for City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center, which is being built in Irvine, and support research projects under the direction of Dr. Sumanta Pal, an internationally recognized leader in genitourinary cancers, including kidney, bladder and prostate cancer and co-director of City of Hope’s Kidney Cancer Program.
Nearly 400 people attended the black-tie affair, enjoying a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, a plated multi-course dinner, an awards ceremony and dancing. During the event, City of Hope leaders revealed that the welcome desk at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center is now named the Frank Di Bella Reception Desk, in honor of Frank Di Bella, a City of Hope patient and cancer survivor, who started the Let’s Be Frank About Cancer event following his diagnosis and successful treatment.
In 2011, Di Bella was diagnosed with bladder cancer that had spread to his lungs, ribs and spine. He was told he had three months to live, but he came to City of Hope for a second opinion.
Di Bella credits his City of Hope physician, Pal, M.D., and City of Hope staff with saving his life. Di Bella began the Let’s Be Frank gala to raise funds to support Pal’s ongoing research.
“Thousands of people with cancer have already walked past this desk, and over the years, thousands more will come. Frank, you’ve been there for us, every step of the way,” said Annette Walker, president, City of Hope Orange County.
“We want everybody who walks up to it to know how much you mean to us and the contributions that you have made.”
Di Bella promoted the construction of City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center to provide advanced cancer care closer to home for Orange County’s residents. City of Hope will open Orange County’s only hospital dedicated to cancer in late 2025.
More Than a Miracle
IRVINE — The 6th Annual Miracles Invitational presented by Perricone Farms raised nearly $244,000 to help Miracle for Kids provide support to families facing challenges such as bankruptcy, homelessness, hunger and depression while caring for their sick children.
The event, held at the Santa Ana Country Club, brought together 131 golfers, 180 sponsors, donors and vendors; and more than 25 dedicated volunteers for a day of camaraderie and philanthropy.
“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s invitational and deeply grateful to all those who made it possible,” said Autumn Strier, co-founder and chief executive, Miracles for Kids. “Thanks to their incredible generosity, we are able to reach more families in crisis.”
In addition to presenting sponsor Perricone Farms, sponsors included David August Inc., Traffik, CopperPoint Insurance Companies, Champion Paving Inc., Epic Insurance Brokers & Consultants, The Leeson Group, Fairgrove Property Management, BYLT Basics, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Buchalter and Dimension Admissions. Fletcher Jones Motorcars, Happy Jewelers, Lucid Motors and Reads Air were the hole-in-one sponsors.
Playing for Keeps
IRVINE — The City of Irvine has reached a milestone agreement with Pretend City Children’s Museum to create a one-of-a-kind center for interactive early childhood education, child development and professional learning that will serve all Southern California.
The approval came during Pretend City’s March 26 meeting by the Great Park Board, which is made up of the Irvine City Council.
The agreement lays out clear responsibilities for both Pretend City and Irvine, including the development of site plans and permitting. Once those conditions are met, the city will then provide Pretend City with a $1 per year ground lease for its site.
The lease for land at Great Park’s Cultural Terrace will cover 50 years, with optional extensions totaling 75 years.
Pretend City is an interactive child-sized city, designed to promote the physical, cognitive, language and social-emotional development of children, inspire their creativity and agency, and be a resource to adults in their lives.
Pretend City prioritizes early childhood development, promoting the identification and therapy for developmental delays and disabilities and supporting the excellence of professionals and trainees in fields that support the health and well-being of children.
“Pretend City is looking forward to bringing our innovative and engaging programs to even more families, helping them ensure their children are growing up healthy and ready to succeed in school and life,” said Ellen Pais, executive director, Pretend City. “We thank the city for its partnership and support and look forward to providing engaging educational experiences for years to come.”
The new campus, which Pretend City will share with nonprofit partners Orange County Music & Dance and the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, will begin welcoming visitors in the winter of 2026.
Bits & Pieces
As part of Food 4 Less/Foods Co.’s impact plan to create communities with Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, the supermarket came together with Mission Foods to donate $20,000 to their Orange County nonprofit partner Bracken’s Kitchen, supporting its mission to provide hunger relief and a pathway out of poverty through culinary training. …
Cox Communications wrapped up its official Volunteer Month in April, to coincide with National Volunteer Week (April 21-27), with 86 team members volunteering at four nonprofits including Orange County Rescue Mission, Think Together, South County Outreach and The Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding for a total of 188 volunteer hours. …
The Friendly Center recently celebrated its 100th anniversary of improving the lives of the impoverished by helping them move toward self-sufficiency, and was joined by AO, an architecture firm celebrating its 50th year in business, which has raised more than $80,000 to support the Friendly Center’s mission over the last decade.
