FHA's 8th Annual Lifetime of Caring Gala Raises Funds, Honors John and Annie Glenn, Garry Neil and Others Whose Work Benefits Older Adults

Astronaut and former Senator John Glenn; his wife and fellow advocate for the elderly, Annie Glenn; Johnson & Johnson's Pharmaceutical Research and Development Group President Garry Neil, MD; and the Foundation for Health in Aging were feted at the FHA's 8th annual Gala in October.

More than 300 supporters of the Foundation and its work attended the Lifetime of Caring Gala at Manhattan's opulent Pierre Hotel. Hosted by former US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and emceed by celebrated author Nick Taylor, the Gala was capped by a virtuoso performance by Grammy Award-nominee Monica Mancini.

The annual event raised just under $500,000 for the Foundation. Established by the American Geriatrics Society in 1999, the FHA advocates on behalf of older adults and their special healthcare needs; supports elder health research; and provides public education programs for older people and their caregivers.

Foundation Board Chair Meghan Gerety, MD, kicked off the event by welcoming guests and offering highlights of Foundation accomplishments over the past year.

Among other things, the Foundation significantly expanded the wide array of free public education material offered on its "Aging in the Know" Web site over the course of the year. In collaboration with the New York Junior League's "Senior Care" Committee, it reached hundreds of older adults and their caregivers with community caregiving presentations based on its award winning caregiving guide, Elder Care at Home. Thanks to the generosity of the John A. Hartford Foundation, it awarded four outstanding researchers two-year Hartford Health Outcomes Research Scholars Awards of $130,000 each. And with the support of the Atlantic Philanthropies, and in collaboration with the Association of Subspecialty Professors, it awarded another major grant to a researcher investigating a leading health concern-effective medication management in hospitalized older adults.

"The work the Foundation does is so important," said Mr. Taylor, who both collaborated with former Sen. Glenn on John Glenn: A Memoir and authored, among other works, his own memoir, A Necessary End, about the years he spent caring for his aging mother and father. "Some years ago, when I was confronting my parents' aging and decline, my wife Barbara and I could have used the kind of information and support the Foundation is now providing."

In recognition of his outstanding business, civic and philanthropic leadership, and of Johnson & Johnson's commitment to the well-being of older adults, their families and the communities in which they live, the FHA honored Dr. Neil with its Discovery Award.

Presenting the award, David Norton, J&J Company Group Chairman, Worldwide Commercial and Operations, noted that Dr. Neil had long been an advocate for research concerning health problems affecting older people. The associate director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Toronto, Dr. Neil is also jointly responsible for J&J's Metabolic and Central Nervous System/Pain Therapeutic Area Centers of Excellence.

One of the many highlights of the evening was a video tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Glenn. After becoming, in 1962, the first American to orbit the Earth, Mr. Glenn made history again in 1992. That year, he became the first popularly elected senator from Ohio to win a fourth consecutive term. In the Senate, Mr. Glenn was a member of the Special Committee on Aging, among other panels. He retired from the Senate in 1997 and in 1998 set yet another record by returning to space, at age 77, as a member of a NASA shuttle mission investigating space flight and aging.

Mrs. Glenn is well known for her interest and involvement in programs for the elderly, children, and the handicapped. She is a member of numerous advisory boards, including the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council of the National Institutes of Health, and The Nursing Home Association, of which she is honorary Chair. Mrs. Glenn is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Speech & Hearing Science Department at Ohio State University.

"The word "hero" is thrown around a lot," said Mr. Holbrooke, a longtime friend of the Glenns and former Assistant Secretary of State, who presented the couple with the FHA's Lifetime of Caring Award. The award recognizes exceptional achievements and commitment to philanthropy and public service that benefit, among others, older adults. "But most heroes are very short lived," he added. "I know only three people whose whole lives pass the test. One is Nelson Mandela -- and the other two are your honorees tonight."

"You've helped all of us who are aging" said Annie Glenn, 87, thanking the FHA, then passing along some of her fighter pilot-husband's humorous advice on staying healthy regardless of age. "After John's last space flight, a lot of seniors started asking him, "What's your secret?"" she explained. "And his answer always is; "Keep mind busy. Keep body busy. Don't rust out!""

Among other things, his parents' experiences with aging contributed to his longstanding commitment to policy aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of older adults, Mr. Glenn told those at the Gala. "I asked to be on the Committee on Aging because there were a few things I wanted to do there," said Mr. Glenn, who served on the committee for his entire 24 years in the chamber. "The problems of aging were difficult then, and they're difficult now. Your work will make a difference."

In a final tribute to the Glenns, Monica Mancini - whose parents, composer Henry Mancini and singer Ginny O'Connor Mancini , struck up the family's ongoing friendship with the Glenns - donated a performance for the benefit.

Dr. Maya Angelou, who received the FHA's Lifetime of Caring Award in 2002, was the Honorary Gala Chair. The Gala Co-Chairs were Anwar Feroz, Director of Sales, Janssen Pharmaceutica; Alex Gorsky, President & CEO, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; David Y. Norton, Company Group Chairman, Johnson & Johnson; and Kevin T. Rigby, Vice President, Public Affairs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.