As the sun sets in Beverly Hills Friday evening, The Farrah Fawcett Foundation celebrated the life and legacy of Farrah 10 years after her passing, with it’s Annual Tex-Mex Fiesta.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 06: (L-R) Dr. Lawrence Piro, Farrah Fawcett Foundation CEO Alana Stewart and Billy Baldwin attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex-Mex Fiesta on September 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 06: Farrah Fawcett Foundation CEO Alana Stewart (L) and Shannen Doherty attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex-Mex Fiesta on September 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 06: Marcia Cross accepts the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Shining Star Award during the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex-Mex Fiesta on September 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 06: Thelma Houston performs during the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex-Mex Fiesta on September 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 06: Marcia Cross (L) and Eva Longoria attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex-Mex Fiesta on September 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
This year’s honoree, cancer survivor, and Desperate Housewives actress Marcia Cross, graced the Red Carpet at The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts. At this star-studded event, guests spoke with conviction on their personal stories with cancer, fond memories with Farrah Fawcett, Marcia Cross, and the late Mary Willard, whose work was highlighted in a special tribute.
The fiesta-themed event honors Farrah’s home state of Texas, and guests feasted on a delicious meal from Los Angeles-favorite El Cholo. Other event highlights included a live auction hosted by Billy Baldwin, and an exquisite musical performance by Thelma Houston.
When asked about her thoughts on tonight’s event, the foundation’s President Alana Stewart gushed, “Every year it’s bigger and better, and we raise more money [to support cancer research]. It means so much to me that so many people showed, and I think it’s our best year ever.” On this year’s honoree, Marcia Cross, Stewart remarked that she reminds her “so much of Farrah, because she’s a warrior.”
Actor and personal friend of the Willards, John Kapelos, a survivor of non-hodgekins lymphoma, shared “I really admire the foundation and it’s very important that people know about HPV. I’m sure [Farrah]’d be very very pleased by what she’d see today, and I wish she was here.”
Upon being asking what tonight meant, Comedienne Judy Tenuta told us “it means everything to me because I absolutely adored Farrah, and I was absolutely heartbroken when she passed. There was no information about that kind of cancer, and there was a big taboo around [the HPV VIRUS]. This foundation and Marcia are going to help so many people. Whatever we can do to stand up and kill cancer, I am for.”
The Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s work has clearly many impacted lives across the nation, from sponsoring cutting edge cancer research in memory of their namesake and raising awareness around HPV. Tonight’s celebration of life was a beautiful reflection of that mission, and how it can continue to change and even save lives.
