UW News

February 11, 2010

18th Annual UW Medicine Salute Harborview gala benefits Mission of Caring

UW Health Sciences/UW Medicine

The 18th Annual UW Medicine Salute Harborview Gala will be held Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel to benefit Harborview Medical Center’s Mission of Caring. Proceeds from the gala directly support the world-class care delivered to patients from all walks of life at Harborview by the UW Medicine faculty and staff based there.


Chaired by community leaders Lynn and Michael Garvey, the event will recognize faculty member and orthopaedic pioneer Dr. Sigvard T. Hansen, Jr., with the Mission of Caring Award. The award honors people whose lives and work exemplify Harborview’s mission in the community. The evening’s featured patients include Alec Corbett and Alessandro Gelmini, teens rescued from a collapsed ice cave at Snoqualmie Pass and treated at Harborview. KOMO4-TV news anchor and reporter Molly Shen will be the event’s mistress of ceremonies. The fundraiser includes dinner, a live auction, and dancing to The Frustrations, who will play hits from the 1960s to today.


One hundred percent of the net proceeds from the event will benefit Harborview’s Mission of Caring to serve vulnerable populations. Although more than 35 percent of Harborview’s revenue comes from patients with private insurance, Harborview provides the most charity care in the state — $155 million in fiscal year 2009. Among those who have received charity care are children, the working poor, those who have lost their medical insurance through layoffs, and those who are no longer receiving government assistance. Harborview is a lifeline for people in the region who need medical care the most. Over the past five years, the annual gala has raised more than $5 million in net proceeds to support charity care at Harborview.

The Western Washington Toyota Dealers Association is the event’s presenting sponsor. Many other businesses, private organizations, and individuals also support the event. Of special note is an anonymous contributor who will match all gifts up to $500,000 made before or during the “Raise Your Paddle” segment of the gala. To date, Harborview has received more than $200,000 from contributors who are taking advantage of that match in supporting the Mission of Caring. In addition, the construction firms for Harborview’s Ninth & Jefferson Building organized a matching gift program for the gala among their subcontractors and consultants on the project. Wright Runstad and Co. and Turner Construction led the effort.


Harborview is one of the seven entities of UW Medicine. In addition to Harborview, the entities include UW Medical Center, Northwest Hospital & Medical Center, UW Neighborhood Clinics, the School of Medicine, UW Physicians, and Airlift Northwest. Many UW Health Sciences students and residents train at Harborview, and UW faculty members at the Harborview campus conduct internationally recognized research to improve treatment of disease and injury.


Tickets for the gala are $350 per person. To learn more about the event and Harborview’s Mission of Caring, see the Harborview gala Web site  for details. You can follow the gala on Facebook and Twitter.


For more information, call UW Medicine Advancement at 206-543-7873, or e-mail meddev@uw.edu.