Haute Event: “HOPE” Luncheon Seminar

On Wednesday, November 9th 2011, the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) hosted its annual “HOPE” Luncheon Seminar.

The event took place at 583 Park Avenue space with opening remarks by Deborah Norville, celebrated broadcast journalist, author and two-time Emmy Award winner. Audrey Gruss, Founder and Chairman of HDRF, presented the HOPE Award for Depression Advocacy to Callie Thorne, star of USA Network’s hit series “Necessary Roughness.”

Gruss, who created the organization in 2006 in memory of her mother Hope, spoke about the innovative research work HDRF has funded since the organization’s inception. Norville, Thorne and celebrity photographer Patrick McMullan each gave moving speeches about their personal experiences with depression and how they have overcome it.

Dr. Steven Roose moderated this year’s seminar topic, “Depression as a Mind and Body Disorder,” with noted experts Dr. Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, Dr. Vijay B. Vad, and Dr. Joshua A. Gordon who provided new research on the topic.

The sold-out event included over 200 guests from the art, medical, society and philanthropic worlds. Notable attendees Included: Catherine Adler, Jim Aman, Barbara Bancroft, Debbie Bancroft, CeCe Black, Marisa Brown, Tory Burch, Sharon Bush, Pilar Crespi Robert, Emelia Fanjul, Peter Gregory, Martin Gruss, Shoshanna and Joshua Gruss, Alexander Guest, Susan Gutfreund, Mai Hallingby-Harrison, Alexia Hamm Ryan, Yaz Hernandez, Eric Javits, Dayssi de Kanavos, Eleanora Kennedy,Stephanie Krieger, Karen LeFrak, Julie Macklowe, Grace Meigher, Nicole Mellon, Marcia Mishaan, Fernanda Niven, Maggie Norris, Rachel Peters Thomas, Dr. Holly Phillips, Barbara de Portago, Shafi Ropers, Beth Rudin-DeWoody, Scott Snyder, Lucy Sykes, Adrienne Vittadini, Bettina Zilkha and many more.