Pulse of the City Soiree raises $1.3 million for pediatric cancer care and research
Sold-out Banner Health Foundation gala celebrated the Heart of the Garden
11/1/2024
With the feeling of a sophisticated evening garden, the Banner Health Foundation’s 9th annual Pulse of the City Soiree truly delivered on its theme, “Heart of the Garden.” Abundant florals in jade, aubergine, mauve and gold transformed the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia into a lush and luxurious paradise of blooms and vines for the 550 guests in attendance on Saturday, October 5.
This year’s Soiree sold out early and featured a new presenting sponsor, Arizona College of Nursing. Chaired by Dr. Susan Maisel, the Soiree raised $1.3 million for pediatric cancer care and research at Banner Children’s medical centers in Arizona in Mesa, Glendale and Tucson. The event also marked the 25th anniversary of nonprofit Banner Health, Arizona’s largest health care provider.
The elegantly dressed crowd cooled their heels upon arrival with a signature cocktail, the Strawberry Rosé Sparkler, while taking in the unique performance art of the Living Flower Divas and enjoying music performed by a string quartet. Guests snapped photos against custom backdrops and got the celebrity red-carpet treatment with the glambot that captured a slow-motion twirl of their floral fashions. Guests also took their chances at the Mystery Gift Wall featuring bright blooms in bud vases, each carrying a secret prize, and at the Gorjana jewelry pull. One lucky winner won the raffle prize: a seven-night Alaskan or Mediterranean cruise—winner’s choice—plus roundtrip airfare for two.
Marking his sixth year as emcee, Jody Oehler, host of “The Drive” on Fox Sports 910 AM, navigated the stage with his quick wit and easygoing style. Jody was joined by auctioneer Jacqueline Towers-Perkins of New York City, who has raised funds for charities around the world and previously worked for Sotheby’s New York. Intense bidding ensued, with prize packages that included dinner every month for a year at Steak 44, Ocean 44 or Dominick’s paired with a bottle of fine Taittinger champagne, transportation to and from dinner, and two suites for 16+ guests to cheer on the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks with food and beverage in 2025; a trip for two to the 151st Kentucky Derby; and a custom work of art painted by the 2024 Banner Children’s Healthy Hero Award recipient, Lainy Sharpe, 14, who is battling a rare form of bone and soft tissue cancer called Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma. Guests gave Lainy a standing ovation after she and her parents, Tony and Angelica Sharpe, warmed the hearts of the audience by sharing her journey through cancer and their gratitude for the incredible care she receives at Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson.
At the end of the night, the Hamptons brought down the house as guests took to the dance floor to groove to the band’s own stylized renditions of contemporary covers. Sponsored by CureIS Healthcare, the after party included tasty late-night snacks, cupcakes, and beverages.
