SPARK OF HOPE

More than 300 Shirley Ryan AbilityLab supporters convened at Rockwell on the River for the nonprofit’s annual Spark event. Prior to dinner, they enjoyed cocktails and Chicago River views as the CoverGirls played high-energy music on electric violins. When guests took their seats, Jude Reyes, Board Chair, welcomed attendees, as did Pablo Celnik, CEO.

Reyes announced to the audience that, together, they had raised more than $4.3 million for the event—funds that will go toward advancing science and patient recoveries at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Following dinner, guests were treated to an animated and engaging science lesson—focused on ways in which clinicians and researchers help patients defy gravity and move their muscles—led by Rick Lieber, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, and James Sliwa, MD, Chief Medical Officer.

Guests were treated to a performance by Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel, whose vocals served as a powerful backdrop to video of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab patients’ recovery journeys. Menzel also engaged in a Q&A with Laura Ferrio, Chief Operating Officer, and even performed with some attendees, including young patients in the crowd. sralab.org