With Olympic-Champ Keynoter, Annual Luncheon Goes for the Gold — and the Pink!

Debbie Festari, Ann Carl, Alicia Smith and Edward Sanchez (photo by Jacob Power)

A FABULOUSLY FASHIONABLE crowd of more than 650 turned up at the American Cancer Society’s annual Tickled Pink luncheon at the Post Oak Hotel. All wearing pink, because of course, they came to raise money for breast cancer research, and also to support some of Houston’s most generous and beloved ladies — chair Sippi Khurana and honorary chairs Leisa Holland-Nelson-Bowman, Donna Lewis, and Beth Wolff.

The event, which featured handsome auctioneer Johnny Bravo dressed in a pink suit and helping raise $36,000 from a Jared Lehr necklace, raised a total of $700,000.

ABC 13’s Gina Gaston served as emcee. Honorees included Myrtle Jones, Leila Perrin, Brandi Sikes, Rick Smith and Gaye Lynn Zarrow.

“Later in the program, previous honoree Janette Marx shared her journey with breast cancer to an attentive room as guests listened in awe,” said a rep for the luncheon’s organizers. “Keynote speaker, Shannon Miller, seven-time Olympic medalist and cancer survivor, closed out the program as she spoke from the heart about her own story of triumph, encouraging guests to overcome any personal challenges.”

Pink Champagne flowed right through lunch, with ended with decadent cheesecake. But the sweetest bit was learning about the impact of the day’s fundraising. Per Jenny Todd, vice president of the American Cancer Society Houston area: “Events like the Tickled Pink Luncheon have led to a 44 percent decline in the female breast cancer death rate by helping to directly fund a cure. In fact, the American Cancer Society is currently investing $84 million in breast cancer-specific research. Fourteen of those grants are right here in Houston, totaling $9 million.”

VIPs guests included Cheryl Byington, Yvonne Cormier, Nancy Dinerstein, Lesha Elsenbrook, Tena Faust, Debbie Festari, Cyndy Garza Roberts, Daniel Irion, Brigitte Kalai, Kirk Kveton, Julie Longoria Chen, Tama Lundquist, DeeDee Marsh, Kim Moody, Patti Murphy, Roz Pactor, David Peck, Amy Pierce, Elizabeth Stein, Phoebe Tudor and Betty Tutor.