Medical Students Hold 11th Charity Gala to Benefit Brain Tumor Research

Teresa Joseph
Teresa Joseph
Proceeds Donated to Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research

Students from the Class of 2021 at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix hosted the eleventh Annual Charity Gala benefiting Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research (SSBTR) on Saturday, February 10.

This year’s gala was themed the Roaring 20s and included a keynote speech from Nader Sanai, MD, dinner, drinks and a silent auction. Attendees were able to bid on two roundtrip tickets to any Southwest Airlines destination, a two-night cottage stay at L’Auberge Sedona and a wine tasting for up to 16 guests.

The gala took place at 7:00 p.m. at the Virginia G. Piper Auditorium, 550 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix.

For the last 11 years, first-year medical students at the college have collaborated with SSBTR to organize and host this special evening. First-year medical student Manroop Kaur, who was a member of the planning committee and chair of marketing and fundraising for the event, said “this is a great opportunity for students, faculty and community members to come together in support of a wonderful cause.”

Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research is the largest student-run, non-profit organization in Arizona. Committed to raising funds for brain tumor research, the organization has raised more than $2.4 million since 2002. Beneficiaries include Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Barrow Neurological Institute, Brain Tumor Society, Translational Genomic Research Institution and medical research at the University of Arizona.

“When I heard about SSBTR, I knew I had to be involved in supporting their cause,” Kaur said. “As a Hospice of the Valley/Ryan House volunteer, I was fortunate to build relationships with some of the strongest individuals who were fighting brain cancer. I have kept those experiences close to my heart and supporting this wonderful organization honors and celebrates those moments. In addition, this charity gala has been a tradition at the College of Medicine – Phoenix since its opening in 2007. As a first year medical student, I wanted to take part in upholding this incredible tradition.”

About the College

Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond. By cultivating collaborative research locally and globally, the college accelerates discovery in a number of critical areas — including cancer, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cardiovascular disease. Championed as a student-centric campus, the college has graduated more than 800 physicians, all of whom received exceptional training from nine clinical partners and more than 2,700 diverse faculty members. As the anchor to the Phoenix Bioscience Core, which is projected to have an economic impact of $3.1 billion by 2025, the college prides itself on engaging with the community, fostering education, inclusion, access and advocacy.