Betsy Kling checking in with “Cross Out Cancer” guests at home

Event Co-Chairs reveal total raised online

On Wednesday, November 18, University Hospitals raised more than $132,000 during the second annual Cross Out Cancer benefit, this year as UH’s first-ever 100 percent virtual fundraising event to benefit cancer immunotherapy research and care through the Wesley Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at UH Seidman Cancer Center and the Angie Fowler Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Institute at UH Rainbow. Presented once again by Bank of America Private Bank, Cross Out Cancer offered sponsors the opportunity to enjoy a personalized at-home wine tasting, produced exclusively for this event by Wente Vineyards.  More than 300 guests tuned-in to the live program, hosted for the second year in a row by Betsy Kling, WKYC TV-3 Chief Meteorologist and 5pm Anchor, who eloquently weaved together the personalized Wente Vineyards wine experience with cutting-edge insights into University Hospitals’ life changing cancer immunotherapy research and care.  During the event, Char and Chuck Fowler were recognized as honorary chairs for their longtime commitment to UH Rainbow and attendees had the opportunity to hear from top UH physician-scientists as well as a cancer immunotherapy patient.

Carolyn Wente, fourth generation Winegrower and CEO, Wente Family Estates

To accompany the livestream program, sponsors were offered a beautifully presented wine-tasting package, hand-delivered to each attendees’ home.  Each package included a Wente Vineyards Single Vineyard Riva Ranch Chardonnay and the Single Vineyard Charles Wetmore Cabernet to accompany tasting notes outlined by Carolyn Wente during the program.  In addition, a custom cheese, charcuterie and dessert box, branded Corkcicle ® wine tumblers and a bottle of the Single Vineyard Riva Ranch Pinot Noir was included for top supporters.  Planned and executed by event co-chairs Ryan Cross and Geoff and Linda Masten, Cross Out Cancer proved to be both entertaining and impactful for sponsors and guests.  The full event program is still available for viewing at www.uhcrossoutcancer.org.
Cross Out Cancer was created in 2019 by Ryan Cross, University Hospitals Vice President, Development, in honor of his late mother, Mary Ann Cross. “Thanks to excellent clinical care and innovative research at UH Seidman Cancer Center and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, my mother successfully battled Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) for 23 years. She appreciated that living in Cleveland afforded her access to some of the most advanced cancer care available in the world. My mother would be thrilled that UH is at the forefront of immunotherapy care and research and that her memory is associated with this important work through Cross Out Cancer.” STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS SUBMITTED BY UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS