Young Survival Coalition (YSC) "In Living Pink" Gala Raises Over a Quarter of a Million Dollars to Provide Resources for Young Breast Cancer Survivors

May 23, 2016
Jaci Fletcher, Senior Communications Manager
646.257.3012
[email protected]

New York, New York, (May 23, 2016) — Young Survival Coalition (YSC), the premier organization dedicated to young women affected by breast cancer, hosted their 14th annual In Living Pink: The Art of Survival at Three Sixty° in New York City, Friday evening. The benefit was the most exciting to date with the gala raising $285k, including $30k from the art auction donations, which will provide numerous resources to young survivors.

Over 375 attendees celebrated and honored young breast cancer survivors and their families. The star-studded event included: Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing’s Ryan Serhant, CW11’s Emmy Award Winning Show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Gabrielle Ruiz, Broadway stars Krysta Rodriguez, Tari Kelly, Corinne Melançon, Leah Zepel, Creator and Designer of Boy Meets Girl Stacy Igel, NYC Photographers Sophie Elgort, Spencer Kohn and renowned artists Peter Drake, John Mosler and Angelo Merendino came out to support the event. Everyone enjoyed live performances by Broadway Performer and Actor Krysta Rodriguez and Pop Entertainer Lily Lane; who performed her new song “Battle Cry” for the first time, a song she wrote in dedication to survivors just for the event.

For the first time, In Living Pink featured an incredible array of multimedia including fine art, sculptures, and photography expressing the breast cancer experience. The fine artists and artwork on display for auction included pieces from the late Toshiko Takaezu, grandmother of ceramics; the late Vivian Maier courtesy of the Howard Greenberg Gallery; Peter Drake, artist and Dean of NY Academy of Arts; renowned sculptor John Mosler; famous Chelsea Market sculptor, Mark Mennin; and Leslie Wayne of the Jack Shainman Gallery.

Also showing at the gala were two art series by renowned artists who were greatly impacted by breast cancer. Photographer, Spencer Kohn, who lost his aunt to the disease, captured incredible young breast cancer survivors in a special portrait series. Spencer explains, "This series captures two different portraits of each woman affected by breast cancer. The first image is the external view- the face that society sees. Strong, beautiful, but a mask. When asked to look in the mirror, we encounter the truth, whatever that may be.”

Angelo Merendino offered a rare and intimate glimpse through a special photo series The Battle We Didn’t Choose featuring his late wife, Jennifer Merendino, who past in 2011 from Metastatic Breast Cancer. “My photographs show this daily life. They humanize the face of cancer, on the face of my wife. They show the challenge, difficulty, fear, sadness, and loneliness that we faced, that Jennifer faced, as she battled this disease. Most important of all, they show our love. These photographs do not define us, but they are us.”

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About Young Survival Coalition (YSC)®

Established in 1998, Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the premier organization dedicated to young women with breast cancer. Founded by three young survivors, YSC began as a grassroots organization to advocate on behalf of all young women diagnosed with breast cancer to increase their length and quality of life. Based in New York City, with networks nationwide, YSC provides free resources, connections and educational materials so young women with breast cancer feel supported, empowered and hopeful. YSC seeks to educate and influence the medical, research and legislative communities to address breast cancer in young women, and to ensure that no young woman faces breast cancer alone. For more information, visit youngsurvival.org.