On Nov. 14, the Breakthrough T1D Promise Gala raised more than $1.8 million to fund life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications for the 1.4 million Americans who live with the disease.
We were in The Hamptons this weekend for the The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation’s second annual Hamptons Garden Gala on August 13th at Patricia and Roger Silverstein’s Water Mill home, which was an intimate benefit, actually more in the nature of a festive dinner party at home with friends and friends of friends.
The heart of the gala which was chaired and hosted by the Silversteins and Vice chaired by Marc Leder, Doug Donaldson, Jean Shafiroff, Susan Shin, Maria Fishel and Pamala Wright along with generous support from Balmain, Ameōn Skincare and Libbie Mugrabi, was Dr. Camillo Ricordi’s briefing on game-changing developments in the fight to cure diabetes as well ground-breaking stem cell research that has far reaching applications for reversing diabetes and fighting other disease aa well as anti-aging protocols.
WATER MILL, NEW YORK – AUGUST 13: (L-R) Patricia Silverstein, Christine Schott, Jean Shafiroff, George Ledes and Roger Silverstein attend the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Hamptons Garden Gala on August 13, 2022 in Water Mill, New York. (Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
The gala also featured a touching and inspiring performance by the Chamber Dance Project, choreographed by award winning Diane Coburn Bruning to the vocals of John Lennon’s Imagine. Roger and Susan Shin were the live auctioneers and one item that was highly sought after were tickets to the Balmain fashion show in Paris! However, there was another package that trumped everything and that was a special package to spend the day with Dr. Ricordi at the DRI in Miami to learn about the work they do and after that dinner the lucky bidder will dine with the brilliant and charming doctor.
There was an after party inside the Silverstein’s home at their private “night club” a la St. Tropez, with Roger himself DJ’ing … real estate mogul by day, DJ by night!
WATER MILL, NEW YORK – AUGUST 13: (L-R) Libbie Mugrabi, Susan Shin, Patricia Silverstein, Natalie Lefevre and Suzanne Amini attend the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Hamptons Garden Gala on August 13, 2022 in Water Mill, New York. (Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Libbie Mugrabi, flew in from London for this gala, on the heels of her Fashion in Motion opening at the V&A museum, turned DRIF into a verb, writing JustDrif in Glitter on her iconic trucker hats which were gifted to everyone in the gift bags!
A Touch of Sugar is thoroughly engaging and well-paced film that explores and examines the many social factors contribute to our society’s mismanagement of diabetes, both individually and structurally. The film told through the eyes of patients, who are struggling with diabetes brings the chilling number to light, and highlights the fact that diabetes is an urgent public health issue that can no longer be ignored.
Starting anything new in life can present issues. It is never easy to take the first steps into a territory that is unknown or foreign.