Joslin Diabetes Center Hosts High Hopes Gala 2014 Celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month

Joslin Diabetes Center will hold it’s annual High Hopes Gala on Saturday November 22nd, at 6:00PM at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel. The High Hopes Gala promotes awareness and raises funds for vital diabetes clinical care programs and groundbreaking research initiatives at Joslin Diabetes Center. This fabulous black-tie event, established in 1999, benefits Joslin Diabetes Center’s High Hopes Fund, which supports the Center’s greatest needs in research, education and clinical care. Joslin Diabetes Center is pleased to honor Community Events Champions as the 2014 recipients of the Global Achievement Award for their exceptional contributions to and ongoing support of Joslin’s mission.

The evening, emceed by Dylan Dreyer, Weather Anchor for NBC’s Weekend TODAY, will include a lively cocktail reception, live entertainment by one of New England’s top bands, The Sultans of Swing, featuring American Idol semi-finalist Erika Van Pelt and exciting silent and live auctions. Vibrant auctioneer Robin Starr, VP/Director of American & European Works of Art at Skinner Inc. will conduct the live auction. Starr is also an appraiser on PBS’s Antique Roadshow.

The Merritt Levitan Youth Ambassador Award, renamed this year to honor the legacy of Merritt Levitan, will be awarded to Kelley N. Conley, a young adult passionate about helping others who are also living with diabetes. Merritt Levitan was an 18 year old scholar and athlete, who was a patient at Joslin and tragically killed last year while on a cross country bicycle trip. Conley will serve as ambassador for Joslin by advocating for diabetes awareness and educating peers throughout Boston about the mission of Joslin Diabetes Center.

For information about the High Hopes Gala or to purchase tickets, please contact Meghan Mongeau at Meghan.mongeau@Joslin.harvard.edu or at (617) 309-2512. The individual ticket price is $1,000.

About Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is committed to advancing diabetes research, clinical care, education and health and wellness programs on a global scale. Joslin is dedicated to ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives and offers real progress in preventing and curing diabetes. Joslin is an independent, nonprofit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and is recognized worldwide for driving innovative solutions in diabetes prevention, research, education, and care. Its mission is to prevent, treat and cure diabetes and the organization’s vision is a world free of diabetes and its complications. For more information, visit www.joslin.org.