A Catalyst for Discovery

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The ‘Discovery Ball’ raises awareness and support for research at the Krembil.
Posted On: November 21, 2016
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(L-R) The event featured a candid conversation between Krembil Director and Senior Scientist Dr. Donald Weaver, and science communicator Jay Ingram.
The first ever Discovery Ball took place on Saturday October 15, 2016, at the Liberty Grand. It is a new fundraising initiative spearheaded by the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation (TGWHF) that pairs people who are committed to advancing health care with dedicated researchers at the Krembil Research Institute (the “Krembil”). The ultimate goal of the event is to promote the Krembil’s research success and to raise the capital required to support continued research advancements.
 
The Discovery Ball planning committee was co-chaired by Dr. Michael Baker and Ms. Stacey Krembil; Dr. Baker also hosted the event. Nearly 400 distinguished guests attended the event, including some of the world’s top philanthropists, and Krembil affiliated researchers and physicians.
 
The night commenced with a reception that featured an artistic display of a variety of cell images from neuroscience, arthritis and vision labs across the Krembil. Next, there was a raffle draw for some remarkable prizes, including a handcrafted diamond rivière necklet. A video highlighting the work of Krembil Senior Scientists Drs. Mohit Kapoor, Valerie Wallace and Donald Weaver was then premiered. You can watch the full video by following the TGWHF Videostream on YouTube.
 
A live auction, hosted by broadcaster, award-winning writer and producer Husein Madhavji, capped the event. The highest bidders won the chance to become a scientist for a day—a rare opportunity to visit the labs of Drs. Kapoor and Weaver.

The event raised nearly $1 million to support research at the Krembil, and because it was such a great success, the Discovery Ball will now run on a bi-annual basis as a staple of TGWHF’s fundraising efforts.