GLOBAL CHALLENGE Even as she was organizing for this year’s gala, the restless Hoag felt that there needed to be a way to fast-track the best in research. Drawing on the competitive spirit at work and play in Silicon Valley and the inspiration of the X-Prizes, a series of high-profile, multimillion-dollar competitions designed to drive technological developments in everything from space exploration to ocean health, Hoag conceived “Part the Challenge.” A global prize for neurological research, “Part the Challenge” this year focused on neuroinflammation studies, offering $7 million in prizes: $1 million each to four promising research groups for clinical trials and an additional $3 million for the trial that shows the most promising results in the next three years. Hoag deliberately chose brain inflammation as an aspect of Alzheimer’s, since it crosses into other degenerative neurological disease categories including Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease;” by doing so she hopes to offer a catalyst for research in a specific area that touches other diseases, attracting wider interest and accelerating progress on Alzheimer’s in the process. “This kind of challenge is something that’s never been done in the science community,” she says. The idea resonated with other donors as well. Last February’s “Part the Cloud” gala—which featured Jimmy Buffett, whose father, James Delaney Buffett, passed away in 2003 from Alzheimer’s disease—and “Part the Challenge” together raised a 52 South Bay Accent MIKEY HOAG AND FAMILY staggering $10.8 million for the Alzheimer’s Association, easily eclipsing the 2014 record for one-day fundraising. Joining Buffett was Ashley Campbell, the daughter of singer Glen Campbell—himself in the late stages of Alzheimer’s—as well as football legends Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott, and movie director Chris Columbus. And leading a live auction that raised more than $1 million were actor Seth Rogen and his wife Lauren. The star-studded event exceeded all expectations. PERSONAL STORIES Hoag’s family history with Alzheimer’s helps her to empathize with community members in similar circumstances. Perhaps her most important attribute is the ability to listen. All of her significant donors, Hoag explains, have come to support the cause after long and intimate conversations. “It took about two years before I really started to hear personal experiences with Alzheimer’s. I didn’t realize I’d share the privilege of hearing such stories. It’s a gift I am given that I try to treat with utmost respect and sincerity. Even now, people will attend the event but not say it’s about their family.” ASHLEY CAMPBELL ENTERTAINS AT THE 2016 PART THE CLOUD GALA OF THE TEN LEADING C AUSES OF DEA TH IN THE U .S., ALZHEIMER’S IS THE ONL Y ONE THA T CANNOT BE PREVENTED, C URED OR EVEN SL OWED.
South Bay Accent - DecJan 2016
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