Silver Hill Hospital Honors Dick Cavett in ‘Giving Hope Gala’ Fundraiser in NYC

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Dick Cavett Silver Hill Hospital gala

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Dick Cavett

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Emmy Award-winning talk show host Dick Cavett will be honored at Silver Hill Hospital‘s annual fall benefit, the “Giving Hope Gala,” this November in New York City.

Robert Minicucci of Darien is this year’s Giving Hope Gala chair.

Dick Cavett Silver Hill Hospital gala

Contributed photo

Dick Cavett

— an announcement from Silver Hill Hospital

Cavett will be given the 2018 Visionary Award, which honors an individual who, through personal contribution and action, has inspired others and helped remove the stigma of mental illness or addiction.

“It’s a genuine privilege for me to be part of this effort, dedicated to bringing much-needed attention to the importance of battling the curse of mental illness,” Cavett said.

“Knowing there are supportive environments for recovery and healing offers vitally needed hope — and help — for so many who are in pain.”

  • The gala, New Canaan hospital’s ninth annual fall benefit, takes place at Cipriani on 42nd Street in New York City, on Monday, Nov. 12. The evening includes dinner, dancing and a live auction.
  • The Giving Hope Gala is a fundraiser for the Patient Financial Aid Fund, serving individuals who would benefit from Silver Hill’s long-term residential treatment programs but are without adequate resources to cover the costs.

Also at the Gala

Minicucci said he has two family members who have benefited from treatment at Silver Hill.

“I know what a difference this can make in the lives of patients and their families,” he said. “Silver Hill’s mission is to provide its patients with the best available treatment of mental illness and addiction. They transform lives, and literally, sometimes they save them.”

In addition, professional golfer, author and mental health activist Michael Wellington will be the evening’s guest speaker.

Wellington is the founder and chairman of Birdies4Bipolar.org, an organization that helps raise awareness and funding for mental health. The professional golfer is also the author of Birdies, Bogeys, and Bipolar Disorder.

Award-winning comedienne Mina Hartong, a Ladies of Laughter National Contest Finalist, will serve as emcee and auctioneer.

Dick Cavett

Cavett, a three-time Emmy winner and author, hosted late night talk shows on ABC, PBS, USA and CNBC over several decades. A legendary host, Cavett became known for his provocative interviews and lively debates.

He has openly discussed his bouts of clinical depression, an illness that first affected him during his freshman year at Yale University. He was the subject of a 1993 video produced by the Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association called A Patient’s Perspective.

In 1980, he experienced what he characterized as his “biggest depressive episode,” and later underwent electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Following his therapy, Cavett became a strong advocate for ECT, calling it “a magic wand” in his treatment for depression.

Others at the Event

The live auction features a work of art titled “Taking Flight,” a watercolor and collage piece on silver Japanese Shikishi board, which is the inspiration for the event’s invitation design and décor for the evening.

Artwork at Silver Hill Hospital's Giving Hope Gala 2018Created by artist Beverly Miller Orthwein, it is a depiction of birds in three different stages, transitioning from the depth of a tree to soaring into the sun, and is Orthwein’s interpretation of the pathway to restoring mental health at Silver Hill.

The Honorary Committee includes David Blaine, DJ Cassidy, Ron Delsener, Sadri Garakani, Tommy Hilfiger, Peter and Mary Kalikow, Cyndi Lauper, Jay McInerney, James Nederlander, Susan Sarandon, Steven Tyler, and James D. Watson, PhD.

The Benefit Committee includes Robert Altschuler, Nora Bailey Bass, Amir Garakani, MD, Matthew Griepp, MD, Hendrik J. Hartong, Jr.,Janine Haynes, Kirk Henckels and Fernanda Kellogg, Todd Hollander, Jillian Keyes, LCSW, Lance Lundberg, Ashleigh Miller, Beverly and Peter Orthwein, Jim and Susie Perakis, Elizabeth Platt, Jonny Podell, John Santopietro, MD, Deborah Shabecoff, David Stifelman, Lynne Wheat, Cheryl Wiesenfeld and Jerry Rosenberg.

For more information or to make a reservation, please contact the Development Office at (203) 801-2398 or gala@silverhillhospital.org.

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