(From left) Dr. Joseph P. Lynch III, Michael Keston, Dr. John Belperio, William Pierpoint, Drs. Eric Esrailian and Steven Dubinett, and Jeffrey Raich. Photo: Reed Hutchinson
“A Breath of Lung Health: Determining the Future of Advanced Lung Diseases” was held on June 11, 2018, at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel. The event was hosted by Dr. Eric Esrailian (FEL ’06), The Lincy Foundation Chair in Clinical Gastroenterology and co-chief of the UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases; Linda and Michael Keston; William Pierpoint; and Robin and Jeffrey Raich. It celebrated the advances made in lung health research in the laboratory of Dr. John Belperio, Guitiara Pierpoint Endowed Chair in Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis, and highlighted the future goals of this pioneering work.
During the event, Dr. Esrailian announced a goal to raise an initial $5 million for a lung health fund that will provide vital resources for innovation in lung health research. This funding will have the power to transform therapies for diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, airway diseases and interstitial lung disease, as well as transplant rejection. Co-hosts Linda and Michael Keston, Robin and Jeffrey Raich and William Pierpoint are lead donors to the initiative, and more than $3 million already has been committed, thanks to their pledges and fundraising efforts. Pierpoint also shared his personal story and why he supports this important work.
UCLA leadership attendees included Dr. John C. Mazziotta (RES ’81, FEL ’83), vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health, and Dr. Kelsey C. Martin, dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Gerald S. Levey, M.D., Endowed Chair.
For more information, contact Lauren Davis at: 310-267-1844
