The William Guy Forbeck Research Foundation (WGFRF) is thrilled to announce the 2023 Blue Jean Ball sponsors including our gold sponsor, CORT, and Silver sponsors, CIBC and William Blair. Additional sponsors of the ball – the first event since 2019 – include Dip in the Bay, Interstate Insurance, Pier 290, Stonecrafters and Terlato Wines and Artisan Spirits.
“We are so grateful for the CORT sponsorship this year. It is especially important as we bring back the Blue Jean Ball to Lake Geneva after a COVID hiatus,” said Jamie Collins Forbeck, executive director of the WGFRF. “CORT’s sponsorship includes furnishings including denim material sofas and chairs that fit our Blue Jean Ball theme. Their contribution fosters a cozy and inviting environment for cancer researchers and donors to connect, learn about the scientist’s work and enjoy dueling piano entertainment while raising awareness and funds for the Foundation.”
With over 200 attendees expected, the fundraiser takes place on October 14th at Pier 290 in Williams Bay, Wisconsin from 7-10 p.m., supporting WGFRF’s annual Scholar retreat held in Lake Geneva twice a year. The goal of the Scholar Retreat is to host a collaborative meeting for junior scientists and senior oncologists to drive the future of cancer medicine in a three-day “think tank” format. These meetings expedite current cancer research, initiate new and novel paths in science, and bridge the gap between institutions and scientific specializations. The WGFRF format has proven to be a successful method of inciting new research and collaborations across institutions.
“We're honored to be the gold sponsor of the 2023 Blue Jean Ball in support of the William Guy Forbeck Research Foundation and the incredible work they do,” said Brian Good, business development executive at CORT. “We believe in the power of collaboration, and this event exemplifies that spirit. We look forward to an evening of connections, learning, and entertainment, all for a crucial cause.”
In addition to the two annual Scholar Retreats in Lake Geneva, WGFRF holds eight focused cancer topic meetings a year funding participation for more than 1,000 oncology researchers throughout the years. With almost 40 years under our belt, we truly have a history to be proud of.
Tickets are still available for $140 through October 13th and $170 at the door. For information about the Foundation or Blue Jean Ball, please visit wgfrf.org.
About the William Guy Forbeck Research Foundation
- In October 1983, ten-year-old William (Billy) Guy Forbeck was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Billy began a thirteen-month odyssey battling the disease but unfortunately succumbed at age 11. It was difficult to find anyone who knew anything about the disease. Let alone could or would talk with other people in the field. The night Billy died, his parents, George and Jennifer Forbeck, decided that they wanted to continue getting the people in the field to talk about the disease and make progress for other children.
- The first Forum, held in 1985, created a common language for the disease. The staging system for neuroblastoma was created, which became a model for other staging systems. From that meeting, there have been meetings for almost 4 decades that the Foundation has sponsored and organized on Neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers. The creation of a database for Neuroblastoma (INRGdb) also came from these decades of meetings and is a model for other databases as it has been expanded to all childhood cancers.
- The simple concept of bringing MDs, PhDs, people from around the globe with various backgrounds of scientific research to brainstorm and collaborate was so successful that almost 40 years later the program is not only still going… it is growing. The initial mission of the Foundation, to get people globally and across institutions to talk, continues. Immunotherapy is now touted as the potential cure for cancer. The Foundation has been doing meetings on this for decades in addition to two annual Scholar Retreats in Lake Geneva.
- The Foundation has worked with directors of most institutions, multiple Nobel prize winners (Jim Allison, David Baltimore, PhD, Leland Hartwell, PhD, William G. Kaelin Jr) and helped to further the younger generation of scientists’ research and careers.
- Teams of doctors and scientists have met, collaborated, and furthered their research from the product of Billy Guy’s life. One young man’s tragic journey has resulted in a legacy of almost 40 years of progress in cancer research.
About CORT
CORT, a part of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, is the nation’s leading provider of transition services, including furniture rental for home and office, event furnishings, destination services, apartment locating, touring, office space occupancy technology and other services. With more than 100 locations including offices, distribution centers, furniture rental showrooms, and furniture outlets across the United States, operations in the United Kingdom, and partners in more than 80 countries around the world, no other furniture rental company can match CORT’s breadth of services and companywide commitment to making a house a home, an office a great place to work and an event a memorable celebration. For more information, please visit www.cort.com.
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Contacts
Marla Schrager
WGFRF Associate Director
marla@wgfrf.org.
