UPMC Hillman Gala Raises $1 Million for Cancer Research
More than 700 people, including business leaders, oncologists and others gathered last week at PPG Paints Arena to support cancer research, raising more than $1 million for the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center director, Dr. Robert Ferris is pictured with his wife, Dr. Laura Ferris, who is a UPMC dermatologist and melanoma researcher.
Since 2011, PNC has presented the PNC Elsie Hillman Distinguished Scholar Award to honor the
experts making a difference in the fight against cancer. Since the gala was postponed last year due to
the pandemic, both the 2021 and 2022 recipients were recognized by PNC’s Lou Cestello, who with his
wife, Millie, served as honorary chairs of the 2022 event.
The 2022 award was presented to Lyn Robertson, Dr.P.H., M.S.N., B.S.N., the associate director for health equity and community outreach and engagement at UPMC Hillman. For more than 30 years, she has led the center’s outreach programs promoting cancer prevention and cancer screening across the diverse communities that UPMC serves.
The 2021 award was presented to Davar Diwakar, M.D., a medical oncologist/hematologist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Hassane Zarour, M.D., a dermatologist and cancer immunologist at UPMC Hillman and professor of medicine at Pitt. The two were recognized for their groundbreaking research in melanoma.
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