Glitzy ’70s Heart of Hearts Gala

Glitz and glamour and gambling for breast cancer – can you dig it?

The silly ’70s filtered through the Heart of Hearts Gala Thursday night. No problem, by now those bad prints, paisleys, white sports coats, ruffles and furs are back where they belong, in a bag headed to the resale-vintage shop.

There was nothing silly about the goal of the 33rd year of the Heart of Hearts Gala. The Avista, Castle Rock, Littleton, Parker and Porter Hospital Foundations put their heads and hearts together to create a spectacular event. Their goal was to honor the many years of community efforts made for those diagnosed with breast cancer. Did you know that approximately one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime and one in 1,000 men will be diagnosed. Next to lung cancer, it is the most deadly form of cancer for women.

Staggering cancer statistics didn’t thwart the ’70s joie de vivre. Getting the party started was easy as smiles and laughter echoed through the ballroom. 600 guests arrived wearing their finest ’70s disco attire. Even the men got into the spirit, wearing garish pink and purple ruffled shirts under white shark skin coats a la ’70s Sonny & Cher. The theme of the evening made everyone happy and that was the purpose of the evening.

The silent auction had an abundance of items displayed for bidding. While females searched for a singing ‘Frank Sinatra’ coming through the sound system, men (& women) bid on golf clubs, golf shirts, casino trips, golf trips, hotels & spas, theatre tickets, steaks and art.

To the delight of the evening’s supporters, dinner was topped off with the band “adbacadabra,” the ultimate ABBA tribute band. And, mamma mia, did they put on a show heard all the way down Broadway. ‘adbacadabra’ delivered a fabulous show in sequined shirts, white bell-bottom pants, glittery dresses, with a white on white piano that was more reminiscent of a Las Vegas concert than one on a Thursday night at the downtown Sheraton in Denver.

The other highlight of the evening was the annual presentation of the 2013 Henry M. Porter Award to Dr. Douglas and Debbie Dennis for their commitment to advancement in orthopedic surgery. The Dennis’s are a power couple involved in Operation Walk Denver and Operation Walk with work in countries such as Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic, helping hundreds of people regain the joy of walking.

The Heart of Hearts’ focus this night was raising money for breast cancer care at Avista, Castle Rock, Littleton, Parker and Porter Adventist Hospitals where each team provides patients with a unique treatment plan. Each medical team includes oncology, radiology, surgical, integrative therapies and a range of support groups and services for the entire family. The funds raised this year will support the continued development of unique breast cancer programs, and to provide continued access to all men and women for high quality breast cancer screenings as well as diagnosis and treatment.

For more information on supporting health care in your community please see the website www.rmahf.org or call 303-715-7600.