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TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER CELEBRATES 5TH ANNUAL
RISING STARS GALA AND HONORS
“STARS” FROM BUSINESS, ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDICINE
Honorary Chair and Boston Celtics Captain Paul Pierce Leads
The Rising Stars Team
BOSTON, Mass. – On February 7, 2008, Tufts Medical Center hosts the Fifth Annual Rising Stars Gala to celebrate the Medical Center’s long tradition of community involvement and its support of exceptionally talented professionals across a variety of disciplines. This year’s event honors Tufts Medical Center medical geneticist Diana Bianchi, MD, Actor and Philanthropist Donnie Wahlberg and Eastern Bank CEO Richard Holbrook. The event also features WHDH Healthcast reporter Dr. Deanna Lites as host for the evening.
"We are fortunate and honored to count Diana, Donnie and Richard as part of the Tufts Medical Center community, and to recognize their achievements at this year's gala," said Ellen Zane, president and CEO of Tufts Medical Center. "They personify the commitment, spirit and vision of Tufts Medical Center. In very different settings and ways, each of them works tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and the community at large."
Tufts Medical Center prides itself on developing “rising stars” in the medical profession as well as serving “rising stars” from all over New England with its medical expertise. Bianchi is the Natalie V. Zucker Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Vice Chair for Research and Academic Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics at the Floating Hospital for Children, Boston. Her work focuses on noninvasive prenatal testing and she is well known for advances in understanding the implications of the exchange of cells and genetic material between the fetus and its mother. As a Rising Star, Tufts Medical Center is recognizing this Charlestown, Mass. resident’s huge contributions to the field of medical genetics and the impact of fetal stem cells on the long-term health of both mother and child.
Boston-born and bred actor Donnie Wahlberg was recently in Boston shooting, “Real Men Cry”. Having starred in numerous films and television productions such as “The Sixth Sense”, “Boomtown” and “Dead Silence”, Donnie began his career as one of the “New Kids on Block” in the mid-1980s and has continued to develop into a well-respected actor and producer. His commitment to his hometown neighborhood of Dorchester and giving back certainly qualifies him as a Rising Star as his career continues to accelerate. As one of the Celtics’ biggest fans, his connection to Paul Pierce adds another facet to his participation.
Eastern Bank’s Richard Holbrook recently completed his first year as CEO and Tufts Medical Center is proud to recognize this leader as a “Rising Star” at one of New England’s outstanding financial institutions. He has been a part of Eastern Bank since 1996. A Medfield, Mass. resident, Richard’s early passion was in medical technology, and he was a molecular biochemistry/biophysics major at Yale University. So, it is appropriate for the Medical Center to recognize him both for his cutting edge approach to banking and his early and continued interest in the medical field.
This year’s Rising Stars will also be joined by the event’s honorary chair, Boston Celtics Captain Paul Pierce. The relationship between Pierce and Tufts Medical Center began in 2000, when Pierce benefited from advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques that enabled his physician to forgo traditional, open surgery that would have sidelined Pierce for most of the season and left a large scar. Pierce gifted $250,000 to the Medical Center’s MIS program through his Truth Foundation so others could benefit from the same leading edge technology. Tufts Medical Center dedicated the “Paul Pierce Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery” last year and he was recently elected to the medical center’s Board of Governors.
"As I join the Board of Governors and strengthen my commitment to Tufts Medical Center, I am thrilled to continue to be a part of the Rising Stars Gala," said Paul Pierce. "Now in its fifth year, this event is an important fundraiser for the hospital and helps to cement its connection with the community.”
“Recognizing ‘Rising Stars’ is a great highlight for the entire medical community, It is a wonderful opportunity to hear more about the important people and programs serving our patients and the community,” said Gala Event Chair Brian Driscoll. “This annual event continues to shine a light on the outstanding and important work being done at Tufts Medical Center and in the surrounding Boston community.”
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ABOUT Tufts Medical Center
Proceeds from this annual event benefit compassionate care and leading-edge research initiatives at Tufts Medical Center and its Floating Hospital for Children. As a world-class academic medical center, Tufts Medical Center offers outstanding patient care to both adults and children, teaching generations of future physicians the most advanced medical science and breaking new ground with innovative research. For more about tickets, sponsorships or other information concerning the Rising Stars Gala, contact Becca Romish, Tufts Medical Center special events officer, at 617-636-9846 or BRomish@tufts-nemc.org.
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