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Upstate Gala, set for Nov. 20, to support palliative care services

Upstate Gala, set for Nov. 20, to support palliative care services

Next month’s Upstate Gala, the Upstate Foundation’s largest black-tie social event of the year, will support palliative care services for adult and pediatric patients.

The annual event will return to the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter Complex Friday, Nov. 20.

From 8 p.m. to midnight, the Gala offers an evening of dining and dancing to music by the Grand Central Station Band. A Patron Party precedes Gala at 7 p.m., at the Oncenter’s 800 S. State St., Syracuse location.

“We are happy to support the important work of our palliative care teams at Upstate’s Community and Downtown campuses,” said Eileen Pezzi, vice president for development at Upstate. “They provide compassionate care and an extra layer of support to patients living with a serious or terminal illness.”

Palliative care teams are comprised of doctors and nurses who collaborate with other health care professionals to create a health care plan that meets the physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of patients facing serious illness or requiring end-of-life care.

Inpatient palliative care for adult and pediatric patients is currently provided through Upstate’s Community and Downtown campuses, according to Barbara Krenzer, MD, medical director of Palliative Care Services at Upstate’s Downtown Campus. There is an outpatient pediatric clinic at the Upstate Cancer Center and plans call for the creation of an adult outpatient palliative care service there as well as to enrich the existing pediatric outpatient service at the cancer center.

“Our teams provide palliative care at so many levels, from symptom management, to family care, to hospice care,” says Krenzer. “This support from the Upstate Foundation will help us in our efforts to meet the needs of a greater number of patients who require our services.” Krenzer adds that proceeds will enhance the team’s efforts in a number of ways, including their ability to advance patient education programs; provide additional comfort items; and to enrich the education of staff and students as they provide palliative care.

Honorary Gala co-chairs this year are Michael H. Ratner, MD and Rissa Ratner and Anthony P. Weiss, MD, and Iris A. McNulty, RN. Last year’s Gala attracted more than 600 people at SKY Armory, raising nearly $350,000 to support patient care and comfort amenities and unmet patient needs at Upstate’s Community and Downtown campuses and Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.

For Gala sponsorship opportunities and reservations contact the Upstate Foundation at 464-4416 or visit Foundation. Deadline to R.S.V.P. is Nov. 9.

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