by Veronica Cardenas

Marie Gewirtz saw her mother go through cancer — and then lived through it again herself. The City of Hope patient’s story of survival after being diagnosed and treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma inspired the nearly 1,000 industry executives and supporters who attended the recent 33rd Annual Festival Ball in San Francisco.

Marie Gewirtz talks about her experiences at City of Hope. (Trish Tunney, Orange Photography)

The gala and its silent auction, organized by the Northern California Food Industries Circle (NCFIC), raised $1 million, bringing the group’s fundraising efforts for City of Hope this year to nearly $2 million.

Attendees bid on unique items and services including weekend stays at luxury resorts. They also listened to Gewirtz, of Healdsburg, Calif., share how treatment at City of Hope changed her life. “In my experience there is no other medical center in the world that has the pioneering research and compassionate care that defines City of Hope,” she told the crowd.

Established in 1978, the NCFIC joins leading retailers, manufacturers, brokers and related vendors in Northern California to support City of Hope’s humanitarian efforts. Throughout its evolution, the NCFIC has raised more than $33 million.