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10th annual Dick Vitale Gala puts event’s total fundraising at $15 million

SARASOTA, Fla. – The 10th annual Dick Vitale Gala to benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research was held Friday night and featured a series of extremely poignant moments and record financial support. The event raised $2.38 million, bringing the 10-year total for the Gala to approximately $15 million.

Net proceeds will benefit pediatric cancer research and this year’s grants will include two for brain cancer victims: $250,000 in memory of Lauren Hill, who passed away last month at the age of 19; and $200,000 in memory of Dillon Simmons a 15-year-old who passed away last year.

Honorees Jim Boeheim, Jimbo Fisher and Lovie Smith spoke of their personal connections to cancer, and the event paid tribute to late ESPN commentator Stuart Scott. Among those in attendance were the Cincinnati Bengals’ Devon Still, whose young daughter is a cancer survivor, and Vitale’s “All Courageous Team” – a group of young cancer survivors.

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