On November 15, 2023, Community Hope’s Sparkle of Hope Gala returned to the Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains, NJ for its second year back as an in-person event with one of the largest crowds in the event’s 27-year history. The gala was founded by Fred Hassan in 1997 as a fundraiser for Community Hope’s vital work helping those affected by severe mental illness as well as veterans and their families. Since then, the event has raised more than $20 million and continues to unite the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and related industries in support of Community Hope’s mission.
This year’s event was led by Hassan, who is the Chairman of the Caret Group and Director, Warburg Pincus, and Brent L. Saunders, Chairman and CEO, Bausch + Lomb. The 2023 Sparkle of Hope Award was presented to Adam Schechter, Chairman, President, and CEO of LabCorp, in recognition of his support for Community Hope and his many achievements in the field of healthcare.
The 2023 Sparkle of Hope Gala Chairs and Honorary Co-Chairs for the gala included Aaron Graff, Executive Vice President and CCO, Ferring Pharmaceuticals; Joseph C. Papa, Retired Chairman and CEO, Bausch + Lomb, Chairman, SparingVision; Courtney Billington, Head, Government Affairs North America, Johnson & Johnson; Olivier Bogillot, Head of U.S. General Medicine, Sanofi; Robert A. Bradway, Chairman & CEO, Amgen; Victor Bulto, President, Innovative Medicines U.S., Novartis Pharmaceuticals; Terrie Curran, CEO and President, Phathom Pharmaceuticals; Kenneth C. Frazier,Executive Chairman, Merck & Co.; Adele Gulfo, CEO Biopharma Commercial, Sumitomo Pharma America; Anna Kazanchyn, MD, Founder and CEO, Saghmos Therapeutics; William J. Lewis, JD, Chairman & CEO, Insmed; Mark McKenna, Former Chairman and CEO, Prometheus Biosciences; Tarek Rabah, Chief Executive Officer, Otsuka America, Inc.; and Brent Ragans, President, Ferring U.S.
One highlight this year was a speech given by a veteran from the Hope for Veterans program named Aaron. After a standing ovation by all 700 guests, he reflected upon his experiences with Community Hope and the life-changing support he has been offered on a daily basis. Preparations are already underway for the 2024 gala, which will be honoring Robert Davis, Chairman and CEO, Merck.
