Dubin Breast Center Annual Gala at Ziegfeld Ballroom Raises $3.8 Million
NBC’s TODAY contributor Jill Martin honored
Honoree Jill Martin, Elisa Port, MD, and Dr. Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, at the 2024 Dubin Breast Center Gala on December 9, 2024. (By Getty Images for Mount Sinai Health System)
The Dubin Breast Center of The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai hosted its annual benefit gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan last week, bringing together distinguished supporters, patients, and medical experts to celebrate the Center’s 14 years of transformative impact on the lives of patients and families facing a cancer diagnosis.
Jill Martin, NBC's TODAY lifestyle contributor, was honored for her advocacy in breast cancer awareness, testing, and wellness. Perri Peltz, the Emmy Award-winning journalist and filmmaker, served as master of ceremonies for the evening, and the event included performances from country singer Will Moseley and Broadway actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer Jared Grimes, and featured a special performance by Grammy- and Oscar-winner Lisa Fischer. The 2024 gala raised a record $3.8 million.
Since its founding 14 years ago, the Dubin Breast Center has become a nationally and globally renowned beacon of hope and innovation in breast cancer care. The Center is on track to surpass 400,000 patient visits by 2025, encompassing imaging, surgery, and treatment services. Early-detection efforts and the survivorship program continue to deliver better outcomes for patients, embodying the Center’s commitment to comprehensive, compassionate care.
From the Ziegfeld Ballroom stage, Center Co-founder Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, a Mount Sinai Health System trustee, and Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Chief of Breast Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System and Director of the Dubin Breast Center, received a standing ovation before they thanked their guests and honorees for the work of building and maintaining the Center.
"Building a top-tier cancer center within a full-service hospital, equipped to address all the medical needs of a patient, was a novel idea,” Dr. Dubin said. “We wanted to build a cutting-edge breast cancer treatment facility within a caring, nurturing environment—and most importantly, open it to all regardless of ability to pay. The idea was new and now it has succeeded beyond our dreams."
“Our Center has become a destination and sanctuary of hope and healing, where patients receive the highest level of care through every phase of their journey, from prevention to treatment to survivorship,” said Dr. Port. “We have much to be proud of. We are the only hospital to provide free cold-capping hair treatment; we now offer pro bono legal services to help with evictions, domestic abuse, or firings due to one’s cancer treatment; and we will continue to follow a holistic and integral approach with our unique blend of next-level innovation and personal care.”
Breast Cancer in Focus
Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, affecting one in eight over a lifetime. The Dubin Breast Center stands as a symbol of progress, providing world-leading care to all patients while advancing early detection and treatment innovations.
Ms. Martin was honored for using her TODAY platform to raise awareness about breast cancer and gene testing. Since her stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis in 2023, Ms. Martin has opened up intimate parts of her life and shared the story of her journey on the road to recovery. As she has done so, millions of Americans have learned about BRCA and other gene testing and how it can help women and men to learn about their cancer risk before it is too late.
“Jill is an entrepreneur and a multi-Emmy Award-winning television broadcaster—an amazing woman, as you have seen,” said Dr. Port. “Jill’s response to her cancer is remarkable, as she used her position to educate her audience about the cancer she was confronting. To do so, she made herself vulnerable in the most profound and selfless ways. Her courage and passion were inspiring to watch.”
Some notable guests included tennis great Mary Joe Fernández, Academy Award-nominated producer and film director Shawn Levy, SoulCycle founding senior instructor Stacey Griffith, and fashion models Molly Simms and Karlie Kloss. Guests expressed their gratitude to the event’s Co-Chairs, Benefit Committee, and Advisory Board for their dedicated efforts in supporting the Dubin Breast Center’s mission. Mount Sinai Health System’s Chief Executive Officer, Brendan G. Carr, MD, MA, MS, addressed the more than 400 guests who attended.
“Breast cancer is personal for me as it is for many in this room. It has impacted many members of my family and has taken several from us far too early,” said Dr. Carr. “Breast cancer impacts us all, and that’s why I’m proud to recognize Dr. Dubin and Dr. Port for their leadership and vision in the creation and the growth of the Dubin Breast Center over the last 14 years. Thank you to the donors and supporters for helping make our center a trailblazer in breast cancer care.”
To support the Dubin Breast Center and the Mount Sinai Health System, visit our website.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the nation’s leading integrated academic health systems and one of the largest in the New York metropolitan area. The Health System includes approximately 48,000 employees, more than 9,000 physicians, and 8,600 nurses across seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, over 600 research and clinical laboratories, a school of nursing, and schools of medicine and graduate school of biomedical sciences.
As a leading learning health system, Mount Sinai combines clinical expertise with scientific discovery to improve patient care while training the next generation of health care and biomedical leaders. The Health System provides care across every stage of life, from prenatal care through geriatrics, while advancing personalized medicine through artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedical research.
Mount Sinai is consistently recognized among the nation’s leading academic health systems for patient care, research, and education. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 1 in New York and recognized as one of the world’s top Smart Hospital by Newsweek. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ranks No. 11 among U.S. medical schools for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and No. 1 among freestanding medical schools, reflecting the strength of its scientific enterprise and leadership in biomedical research.
For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. To listen to news and stories from Mount Sinai, visit the Mount Sinai Podcast Network.
