San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
@Miss Bigelow
Kristen and Buster Posey hit one outta the park to fight cancer.
Even with season-ending hip surgery, S.F. Giants slugger Buster Posey still hit it outta AT&T Park Sept. 13 when he and his wife, Kristen Posey, raised $700K to battle pediatric cancer at their BP28 Gala.
Now in its third year, the Poseys’ efforts have raised $2.6 million — 100 percent of which, locally, benefits research and lesstoxic treatment protocols at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals (https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org), Stanford University’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and John Muir Hospital.
That’s in addition to the many personal hours the Poseys log organizing monthly ballpark visits for patients or visiting sick children in Oakland and Mission Bay, where their support funds new treatments developed by UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
“Kristen and I think about how great if, one day, our grandchildren could say, ‘Isn’t it crazy there wasn’t just a vaccine then for cancer?’ ” said Buster Posey, his voice cracking with emotion. “Because of you, there’s a real chance you’re going to save a child’s life. That’s pretty cool.”
The heartfelt soiree (produced and underwritten by Giants Enterprises) drew 230 guests who sipped cocktails on the green prior to a Club Level Bon Appetit dinner (graced by donated Duckhorn wines) that was emceed by beloved Giants announcers Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper, with auctioneer Liam Mayclem.
“This commitment doesn’t happen every day. Buster and Kristen do this from a very authentic place: They’re hands-on with the children, doctors, families and staff,” toasted Giants CEO Larry Baer. “It’s very meaningful to have a player, with his wife and their two healthy children, express such care and compassion for others as the Poseys do.”
Also cheering on the event were Giants players, including Hunter Pence, Joe Panik, Will Smith and Hunter Strickland, along with former pitcher Jeremy Affeldt and musician Kelly James.
Earlier that day, UCSF oncologist Dr. Mignon Loh attended the funeral of one of her patients. Yet the Poseys’ support, she said, allowed her to offer nine grants to top UCSF cancer researchers.
“When Buster and Kristen visit our patients, they remind them, ‘Hey you’re a kid, let’s talk baseball,” said UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital President Dr. Michael Anderson. “And in an incredible stadium like this, you think about wins and losses. But thanks to cutting-edge research that five years ago was science-fiction stuff, there’s a lot of wins right now in pediatric cancer.”
One of those wins is embodied by 18year-old Lily Bakour, a former UCSF patient of Dr. Elliot Stieglitz, who’s successfully battled cancer. Twice.
She was diagnosed at 15 while a student at Carlmont High School, where she determinedly continued her studies. Yet she can’t forget that arduous journey and still struggles with its memory of painful treatments and feelings of despair.
“Cancer is not a friendly disease. Cancer is taking risks you don’t want to take. However, cancer is truly weak if we all come together,” she explained. “Despite my adversity, I was able to persevere in school, survive two rounds of cancer. And puberty.”
Bakour is now preparing for her first year of college at UC Davis.
“I, Lily Bakour, am a singer; a ukulele player; a student government member; an adventurer; a journalist; a goofball,” she said, to loud cheers. “And as of June 12, 2018, I am a two-time cancer survivor.
Strike it rich: The white hot glare of the spotlight is not the preferred habitat of philanthropist Ariadne Getty. Yet she’s been traipsing the red-carpet receiving honors — on Sept. 15 in San Francisco during the GLAAD Gala, and on Sept. 22 she will be honored in Los Angeles with the LGBT Center’s Vanguard Award (https://lalgbtcenter.org).
#MeToo advocate-actress Alyssa Milano received GLAAD’s inaugural Ariadne Getty Ally Award in San Francisco.
Her aversion to the spotlight stems to expand affordable youth housing and services at the LGBT Center in Los Angeles. And GLAAD received a $15 million Getty pledge to support that organization's media institute (https://www.glaad.org/institute) to enhance the presence, and acceptance, of LGBTQ community in news, film and social media.
Ironically Getty is shy on social media. However, she’s ably represented by her children, savvy Instagram stars and proud LGBTQ members: Artist-model-designer Natalia (Nats) Getty, 25, who runs a street-wear line cleverly titled Strike Oil. She came out at 15, followed by her brother, fashion designer August Getty, 24.
“Theirs were unexciting coming-out stories: no fireworks or drama. I already knew,” she recalls. “I was just waiting for my children to feel comfortable enough to tell me.”
But for other families, especially those not residing in the more open bubbles of the country’s coasts, coming out for teens remains a huge deal. And that’s what prodded Getty into action.
“Forty-percent of homeless youth are LGBTQ, that’s a staggering number. And many of these kids are just kicked out of their family homes,” notes Getty. “That’s why increasing youth housing and programming at the Los Angeles center is so crucial.”
Getty is also worried about the current administration in Washington, D.C., and President Trump’s attempts to revive the military’s “trans ban.”
“It’s so frustrating when you think you’ve got something accomplished only to realize, ‘Oh, no: We’re vulnerable in that area again,’ ” Getty says. “That’s when I realized it was time for me to step up. But when I think about how much courage it takes to come out, taking a stand against discrimination is nothing.”