WASHINGTON // A glittering charity ball for Children’s National Medical Center in Washington raised nearly US$11 million, about Dh40m – the most successful single charity event in the US capital’s history.
The total surged past $10m with donations of $1m each from the families of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The event for nearly 1,000 guests from Washington’s political and business elite was co-hosted by the UAE Ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al Otaiba, and his wife, Abeer, and the Fox News anchor Bret Baier and his wife Amy.
In 2009, the Abu Dhabi government made an unprecedented gift of $150m to the hospital to help establish the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation and also cement a partnership that will be crucial for the realisation of the emirate’s goal of transforming its domestic health care sector into one of the world’s best.
“Children’s National can meet the needs of every child, especially for the families that can’t afford to pay, and that’s why we’re all here tonight,” Mr Al Otaiba told the audience that included the National Security adviser, Susan Rice, the Republican House majority leader, Eric Cantor, the Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel, and the Saudi ambassador to the US, Adel Al Jubeir.
Like hundreds of other Emirati children who have been treated by the hospitals specialists over the past 15 years, Mr Al Otaiba’s young daughter underwent successful surgery at the hospital last year. The experience prompted him and his wife to be personally involved in this year’s efforts.
“Abeer and I, like many parents, never thought we would need Children’s National, but [it] was there for us when we needed it the most. It was there for us exactly the same way its been there for everyone in the community.”
“Children’s is a short drive [for us], but for hundreds of kids from the UAE, the 7,000-mile trip is a lot tougher, [but] the doors of Children’s National have always been open to Emirati children.”
The gala event was the capstone of the fund-raising drive, and featured a live auction that raised an additional $400,000 before the end of the night, including a black Labrador puppy that was won for $9,000 and a jewellery set designed by Lorraine Schwartz and worn by the singer Beyoncé that went for $75,000. The philanthropist who won the set gave them to a young Children’s patient who helped host the auction and who had also helped design the necklace and earrings.
The drive raised $10.73m.
Attendees dined on a meal prepared by celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa, and watched a series of video messages from celebrities and political figures.
The former US President George W Bush drew applause and laughter with is message of congratulations to the ambassador’s family and the Baiers, when he said: “I’m sorry I can’t be there in person in Washington, DC … sort of.”
After dinner, the singer Jennifer Hudson performed a surprise concert in the packed ballroom.
“The one thing we wanted to do from the beginning was make it fun, and we’ve had a lot of fun,” Mr Baier said. “We believe, and we are beneficiaries of the hospital, that this place is going to change children’s health around the world.”
tkhan@thenational.ae
