Candace (Candy) Duncan, Gala Co-Chair
The National Capital Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) on March 22, 2014 will host its annual Leukemia Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to benefit the fight against leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.
LLS is a 61 chapter voluntary health organization that tasks itself with funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.
This year’s event aims to raise $3 million and is co-chaired this year by Candace Duncan, the former regional office managing partner for KPMG LLP, and Dan Waetjen, the group president for the Greater Washington area region of BB&T Bank.
Last year’s event raised $2.75 million for the society.
The black-tie event will feature a reception, silent auction, dinner, Mercedes-Benz Raffle, entertainment by Huey Lewis & The News as well as the conferring of the James L. Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award on Bobby Mitchell.
The award each year recognizes an individual who has impacted the lives of patients and families by showing dedication and commitment to the society’s mission. Mitchell during the past 22 years has assisted LLS in raising approximately $8 million.
“Mr. Mitchell is a long-time volunteer and supporter of LLS who was instrumental in raising nearly $8 million for LLS. For 22 years, through The Bobby Mitchell Hall of Fame Golf Tournament, he brought together the largest gathering of Hall of Famers each year, outside of Canton, Ohio, to advance the mission of LLS,” according to a statement released by LLS on its website. “Refusing to simply lend his celebrity name to the event, Mr. Mitchell worked tirelessly throughout the year to raise awareness and funds. He loved our patients, and our patients loved him.”
The ball, which is the largest non-political black-tie event in Washington, DC, has since 1988 raised approximately $48 million for LLS’s causes, and this year expects a showing of 2,000 guests, with tickets selling for $1,000 each.
LLS kicked off its fundraising season in September with an event that brought some of the area’s top executives to the Congressional Country Club in Maryland. Click here to read more about that event.
