Fox Searchlight’s Nancy Utley Expresses Her Optimism at Lupus L.A.'s Orange Ball

Utley sits in the Lupus L.A. Board of Directors with founder Dr. Daniel J. Wallace, Donner, and singer-songwriter Toni Braxton, among others. Dr. Wallace is an attending physician in the Division of Rheumatology at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a clinical professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.

The award that Utley and the others received during the Orange Ball was named after Lupus L.A.’s founding father.

Lupus L.A. is a non-profit organization focused on funding novel medical research for a cure, providing patient services, such as doctor referrals and patient education, and promoting awareness about lupus.

Dedicated to finding the cure, the organization has launched Cure 1000, a program where 100% of its donations will go to fund research initiatives. Funding may be used for local research projects at one of Lupus L.A.’s partner hospitals or  local rheumatology fellows who are treating patients and researching the disease.

Lupus L.A. promotes awareness of lupus through various events with wide media coverage and is supported by Hollywood executives and celebrities. The Orange Ball, which also featured a live auction, has raked in more than $525,000 to help lupus patients and research.

Photo source: Toni Braxton by Ron Baker