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Community Corner

Center for HOPE To Honor Barbara Netter at Annual Luncheon on April 23

The Center for HOPE will recognize the many contributions Greenwich resident Barbara Netter has made toward the advancement of gene therapy-based cancer treatments.

As the President of the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) – a nonprofit organization she founded with her late husband, Edward, in 2001 – Netter has raised nearly $25 million for numerous gene therapy research initiatives.  Over the years, ACGT’s support has been instrumental in launching 20 human clinical trials addressing lymphoma and leukemia, as well as prostate, lung, ovarian, breast cancer and brain cancer.

For her role in providing cancer patients with a renewed sense of optimism, Netter will be presented with the Ray of HOPE Award during the Center for HOPE’s Annual Luncheon on April 23 at Woodway Country Club in Darien.  The Ray of HOPE is the Center for HOPE’s highest honor that recognizes a member of the community whose efforts assist those coping with a loss, critical illness or life-altering circumstance. 

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In addition to her work with ACGT, Netter has been involved with The Den for Grieving Kids – a Family Centers program providing support to children and families who have lost a loved one – since 1998.  While at The Den, Netter facilitated bereavement support groups for adults and victims of the 9/11 tragedy. 

Tickets and sponsorship information for the Center for HOPE Luncheon are available now on www.familycenters.org.  This year’s event will feature a keynote address by Huffington Post founder and editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington.  All proceeds from the event will benefit the Center for HOPE and The Den for Grieving Kids, Family Centers’ programs offering counseling and support to residents of lower Fairfield County coping with a loss, a critical illness or life-altering circumstance.

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For more information, contact Aleksa Lazarewicz at 203-869-4848 or alazarewicz@familycenters.org.

Family Centers is a private, nonprofit organization offering education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. More than 2,400 professionals and trained volunteers work together to provide a wide range of responsive, innovative programs. A United Way, Community Fund of Darien and New Canaan Community Foundation partner agency, Family Centers is a member of the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies and the Alliance for Children and Families and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The agency is licensed by the State of Connecticut Departments of Public Health and Children and Families. Visit www.familycenters.org for additional information.

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