The members of the Long Beach Cancer League hosted their 41st Annual Gala on Saturday, June 4, 2016, at the beautiful Hotel Maya, overlooking the water and a serene view of downtown Long Beach. This year’s theme was “Reach for the Stars: A World Imagined.”

The League was proud to join with more than 300 guests in recognizing the commitment of a number of passionate, generous and courageous individuals – the evening’s “Stars” – each of whom had their own cancer story, whether as a patient, caregiver, physician, nurse or volunteer. The “Stars” were honored for their significant contributions – personal or professional – to ensuring that the universal goal of finding a cure for cancer in our lifetime.

The 2016 honorees were:

The program, presented by Randy Gordon, president and CEO of the Greater Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, highlighted that it will take a constellation of “Stars” working together toward a cure. That collective effort brings hope and confidence to the world that an end to cancer is possible, if only we keep reaching for the stars.

The evening including an enticing silent auction, a delicious dinner of filet mignon and garlic shrimp, an exciting live auction, and finally, dancing to the Frank Wright Band.

The Long Beach Cancer League is an auxiliary of the American Cancer Society. The League’s four decades of volunteer service have yielded more than $11 million toward ACS’s life-saving work fighting cancer through research, prevention, treatment, and advocacy.