Olympic Medalist Rallies Luncheon Crowd to Raise More Than $222,000 for Asthma Research at National Jewish Health

Dara Torres, who overcame exercise-induced asthma to win four Olympic gold medals in swimming, engaged a sold-out crowd of more than 425 guests on March 4, 2020, at the New Directions Luncheon for Women and helped raise more than $222,000 to benefit National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation.

The annual event raises awareness for asthma care and research and is a premier fundraiser for National Jewish Health. National Jewish Health physician-scientists are on the cutting edge of asthma research – studying the disease from all angles to improve understanding and to discover new treatments for this complex and prevalent disease.

National Jewish Health pioneered asthma research and treatment since the illness first emerged as a public health threat in the 1950s. Drawing upon its expertise in the treatment of lung conditions, National Jewish Health created the nation’s first large inpatient adult asthma service. In 1960, National Jewish Health scientists developed the first clinically useful method of diagnosing asthma.

Many of the most effective medications for asthma and allergies have been introduced to the marketplace as a direct result of the clinical trials performed at National Jewish Health. Today, the organization has one of the largest pulmonology divisions in the nation and a unique focus on care and research of respiratory illnesses.

Luncheon Co-Chairs were Elyssa Kupferberg and Jan Savarick. Anne Jacobson was the honorary luncheon chair. See the full list of the luncheon committee.

Major sponsors included the late Alex Fryburg and his wife Kathy Fryburg, Susan and Richard Goldstein, Ethel and Bernard Liebman, Judy Levis Markhoff, Linda Myrick, and Robin and Richard Weissman The Learning Experience.

For more information, visit flnewdirections.org or contact Allyson Harman at 561.477.5400 or HarmanA@njhealth.org.