Fauci to be honored tonight by Arthur Ashe Institute at SUNY Downstate

By SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University | October 14, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2020

Media Contact: Abdul Sada | [email protected] | 631.827.5055

ANTHONY FAUCI TO RECEIVE AWARD AT ARTHUR ASHE INSTITUTE FOR URBAN HEALTH 26TH ANNUAL SPORTSBALL GALA

Downstate’s Dr. James A. Mahoney to Receive Posthumous Award; Vladeck Raskin & Clark Law Firm to Receive Award for Longstanding Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

BROOKLYN, NY – Dr. Anthony Fauci will be among this year’s honorees at the 26^th Annual SportsBall event, the Black Tie & Sneakers Gala of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (AAIUH), SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University announced today. Each year, the Institute honors organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to health, education, medical research, community service, and philanthropy.

The annual SportsBall gala brings together some of the most influential leaders in sports, business, entertainment, and medicine to raise funds that support critical health programs for the Brooklyn community.

Joining Dr. Fauci, this year’s honorees include a posthumous award to Downstate’s beloved Clinical Assistant Professor and Hospitalist Dr. James A. Mahoney, and another, to the Law Firm of Vladeck, Raskin & Clark PC. Former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will introduce Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“This is a particularly poignant year for us as we celebrate Arthur Ashe’s legacy amid a pandemic that has claimed more than 215,000 lives,” said SUNY Downstate President Dr. Wayne J. Riley. “As America’s most respected infectious diseases expert, Dr. Fauci is the most important voice providing critical guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite his own underlying health risks, Dr. Mahoney served patients during the pandemic, ultimately losing his life in the battle. The Law Firm of Vladeck Raskin & Clark continues to fight for more equity and diversity in the workplace. We are proud to welcome these esteemed honorees into the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health family. We continue to be grateful for their work on behalf of others.”

“This is an unusual year for us as we fight a pandemic and address significant issues of racism in our country,” said AAIUH CEO Dr. Marilyn Fraser. “The selfless and remarkable work of our colleagues supports the intentionality of Arthur Ashe’s founding of the Institute. He understood the need to work specifically in a community focused on healthcare disparities and equity and social justice. We continue to be grateful for their work, and for all the support of our partners who work diligently to honor Arthur’s legacy and this important and much-needed work.”

SportsBall, which recognizes notable leaders in sports, philanthropy, business, entertainment, and medicine, supports Arthur Ashe’s Institute’s community health and research initiatives. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, SportsBall will take place virtually on Wednesday, October 14, at 7:00 PM and will be available by clicking here.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci has served as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984. He oversees an extensive portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Zika, and, most recently, COVID-19. Dr. Fauci is the chief of the Laboratory of Immunoregulation. He has made several contributions to basic and clinical research of pathogenesis and treatments of immune-mediated and infectious diseases. Dr. Fauci has also advised six presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues, including the current COVID-19 pandemic. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Law Firm of Vladeck, Raskin & Clark PC, has a longstanding and vital history of fighting for workers’ rights, including against discrimination, sexual harassment, defamation, as well as union-side labor law and litigation. As a venerable partner in the fighting for social justice and against discrimination in the workplace, Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, PC enhances the legacy of Arthur Ashe’s body of work in diversity and inclusion. Anne Vladeck serves as a member of the Arthur Ashe Institute of Urban Health Board.

The late Dr. James A. Mahoney served the Central Brooklyn community at the University Hospital of Brooklyn at SUNY Downstate and Kings County Hospital since 1982. Dr. Mahoney was a SUNY Downstate alumnus and joined the Department of Medicine in 1993 as the Assistant Professor of Medicine, where he was an expert in lung diseases and critical care. He worked valiantly to protect COVID-19 patients and did not take a single day off from work from the onset of the pandemic so he could help save patients with the virus.

SportsBall 2020 will be hosted by Cheryl Wills, “NY1 Live at Ten” Anchor and Host of “In Focus with Cheryl Wills.” All proceeds will benefit the Institute’s community health education programs and research initiatives. For more information, visit here.

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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is the borough’s only academic medical center for health education, research, and patient care. Its teaching arm, University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB), is a 342-bed facility serving the healthcare needs of New York City and Brooklyn’s 2.6 million residents. UHB is backed by an outstanding medical school’s expertise and the research facilities of a world-class academic center. More than 800 physicians, representing 53 specialties and subspecialties—many of them ranked as tops in their fields—comprise Downstate’s staff.

A regional center for cardiac care, neonatal and high-risk infant services, pediatric dialysis, and transplantation, Downstate also houses a major learning center for children with physical ailments or neurological disorders. In addition to UHB, Downstate comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative, including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. For more information, visit www.downstate.edu or follow us on Twitter at @sunydownstate.