Nora's Home: 2021 Homecoming Virtual Gala

Nora’s Home and YOU...

Our Winning Team

Virtual Homecoming • April 22, 2021 • 7:00 pm

Mission

Nora’s Home provides affordable lodging for organ transplant patients and their families in the comfort of a warm, homelike environment.

In 1998, Doctors Osama and Lillian Gaber established Nora’s Gift Foundation in memory of their daughter Nora, who was killed in a tragic automobile accident. Nora’s legacy did not end with her death. Her organ donations helped several critically ill children and fueled the creation of Nora’s Home, an enduring gift to those in need.

Patients suffering from end stage organ disease and facing the need for life saving transplant surgery must deal with many challenges. Medical care often requires them to travel far from home and many patients awaiting transplant, under-going surgery or having follow-up care must stay in Houston for many months. During this difficult time, and in addition to their tremendous medical expenses, patients and their families are burdened with the high cost of lodging, the loneliness of being away from their loved ones and the fear of losing their jobs, homes and way of life.

NIGHTS STAYED

40,000 YTD

32 FAMILY SUITES

GUESTS SERVED

1,300+ YTD

WHERE OUR GUESTS TRAVEL FROM

38 states 4 countries

PATIENT BREAKDOWN 62% men 38% women

Texas Children’s Hospital

TRANSPLANT CENTERS SERVED

Memorial Baylor St. Luke’s Hermann Medical Center Houston Methodist

Nora’s Home and YOU...

Our Winning Team

VIRTUAL HOMECOMING April 22, 2021 Pre-Show Pep Rally: 6:45 PM • Virtual Program: 7:00 PM

benefiting

Join us for the virtual homecoming celebration!

Click here or scan the QR code to the right to view the program.

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H omec oming C our t Nora’s Home Board of Directors

Ho meco ming K ing and Q u e e n C. James & Carole Walter Looke Family Fund Amy and John McCall Walter Oil & Gas Corporation Charitable Fund

sen io r Cel eb r at io n Houston Methodist • Westwood Wealth Management

J unior P r ide Vicki and Carl Baucum • Haydeh and Ali Davoudi Drs. Lillian and A. Osama Gaber • Brigitte and Bashar Kalai Houston Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center • Novartis The Linda & Jerry Strickland Family Foundation In Memory of Jerry Strickland

Texas Children’s Hospital • Kathleen and Pat Wood ----Listing as of April 21, 2021----

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Sop h o mor e T r adit io n Paula Hern and Tom Barbour • Pat and Ben Bono Caldwell Companies • CareDx • Cathy and Tom Cooney Annie and Bob Graham In Honor of John Zerr

Laura and Dr. Mark Hobeika Stanley Hoffberger • Houston Kidney Consultants Paige and Todd Johnson

In Memory of Mrs. Stephanie K. Smither

Dr. Sippi and Ajay Khurana • LifeGift Shazma and Arshad Matin • Sanofi Genzyme Roberta and Lee Schwartz John & Stephanie Smither Visionary Fund Drs. Adaani Frost and Wadi Suki • Lynda Underwood Linda and Steve Webster

In Honor of Drs. Lillian and A. Osama Gaber

Maria and John Zerr ----Listing as of April 21, 2021----

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F r e s h m an S p ir it Imad F. Abdullah and Dr. Nour Sneige Betsy and Dan Austin / RBC Wealth Management The Gaber brothers – Waleed and Hisham Geraldine and Dr. Joseph Galati Hoda and Michael Kardoush In Memory of Paul Kardoush

Kindred • Kayla and Jim Lehmann • Krista and Ronnie Smith UTHealth School of Public Health • Cheryl Webb Dr. Stephanie Yi and Terry Padden

Pr e -Sh o w Wa iting R oom Sponsor Veritex Community Bank

fr ien ds of N or A ’s Home

Drs. Sandra Hurtado and Michael Braun Nancy and Dr. Steve Bynon Children’s Organ Transplant Association Drs. Christine and Richard Knight • The Living Bank Ms. Terri Mendez • Jamie and Kevin Myer Carol and Dr. Juan Olivero The Honorable Khaled Rizk and Dr. Imaan Youssri Dr. Hisham MF Sherif • Mr. David A. Taylor Anne Whitlock and Michael Skelly ----Listing as of April 21, 2021----

2011

There’s No Place Like Home

Pat & Ben Bono

Pat and Ben, along with their daughters (Lisa, Gina and Joanna) and son in-laws (Scott, Jeff and Mike), chaired the first ever Nora’s Home Gala in 2011. To this day, they remain close to the mission. Since Ben’s liver transplant in 2002, the pair have enjoyed watching their family grow and spending time with their six grandchildren, taking family vacations, and frequenting their ranch in Fort Bend county.

2013

Home Sweet Home

Caroline & Dr. Salim Dabaghi

Caroline and Salim have been involved in Nora’s Home since the very beginning. From groundbreaking in 2012 to chairing the 2013 gala, this dynamic duo is credited in laying the foundation of support that allowed the vision of Nora’s Home to be realized. Little did they know at the time how well-received the home would be for the many transplant families in need.

2014

Cabaret

Co-Chairs Kathleen & Pat Wood Kathleen and Pat are proud parents of four boys (Patrick, John Thomas, Charles and William), three of which are Aggies! When they found out their youngest son, William, needed a kidney transplant, Kathleen was the first to get tested and ultimately the one who could donate her kidney. She and Pat enjoy volunteering at Nora’s Home and encourage others to visit.

Co-Chairs Anne Whitlock & Michael Skelly Michael gave the Gift of Life by donating his kidney to his sister, Margaret, in 2011.

With Anne as Michael’s caregiver, they both understand how vitally important it is to have the right support system in place during hard times – support that occurs naturally the moment guests check-in at Nora’s Home. Michael’s journey lives on as he strives to promote living organ donation as a way to enhance the quality of life for a loved one, or even a stranger.

2015

Spotlight

Lisa & Rudy Beeching

Their beautiful daughter, Sierra, received a liver transplant when she was just eleven.

They experienced what most transplant families go through and are so appreciative of the type of service Nora’s Home provides for any family - at any age and on any stage of their transplant journey. Today, Sierra is a healthy, flourishing college student excelling in pre-nursing and planning for a future in healthcare.

2016

Kentucky Derby

Brigitte & Bashar Kalai

Brigitte and Bashar were compelled to the mission after hearing many incredible stories of hope and testimonials from patients and families staying at Nora’s Home. There is nothing more powerful than having a second chance at life – what a gift! Their philanthropic endeavors are well-known in the Houston community, and transplant families staying at Nora’s Home are especially beholden to their generous support.

2017

Back to the Future

Dr. Sippi & Ajay Khurana

With Dr. Khurana’s practice in Rheumatology, she has seen several patients go through transplant surgery and witnessed their very difficult journey. On top of health concerns, imagine the possibility of having to worry about financial repercussions when being far away from home. Sippi and her husband Ajay have become champions for the mission at Nora’s Home since 2017.

Their support has helped the thousands of families coming through our doors in need of their “home away from home” near the Texas Medical Center.

2018 The Best is Yet to Come

The Johnson, Langley & Smither Families

Ashley, Paige and John are grateful for the many added years of life they were able to share with their mother, Stephanie Smither, who underwent a double lung transplant in 2013.

The Gift of Life allowed their family, and grandchildren to enjoy more stories, holidays shared, and special moments they wouldn’t trade for the anything in the world. Their family is grateful for all the services that Nora’s Home provides to those in a time of need.

2019

We Are Family

Nick & Vicki Massad

The Massad family operates a hospitality company and are well-versed in what makes a hotel stay memorable. They have a great appreciation for Nora’s Home and the support, services, and the sincere belonging one finds as a guest. The Gift of Life is precious and hits very close to their family. In 2018, Nick was told he needed to be placed on the waiting list for a kidney and their loving daughter, Taylor, was able to donate her kidney to save her dad’s life later that year. The entire family are huge advocates for living organ donation.

2020

The Sky’s The Limit

Susie Cunningham Chelsea Cunningham McDermott

The Cunningham family knew their daughter Chelsea needed a liver transplant just weeks after she was born. Thirty-three years later, Chelsea received “the call” for her lifesaving procedure in 2016, just months before her scheduled wedding to Christian McDermott. Now, four years later, the pair are living a healthy, full life with the addition of their beautiful daughters, two-year old Maximiliana, and four-month old, Carlotta.

The Faces of Nora’s Home

Homecoming Court Board of Directors A. Osama Gaber, M.D., Chairman Ellis Tudzin, First Vice-Chair J. Michael Rose, Secretary • John Zerr, Treasurer Imad Abdullah • Cathy Cooney • Lillian Gaber, M.D. M. Waleed Gaber, Ph.D. • Matthew Girotto Mark Hobeika, M.D. • Kayla Lehmann Gabriel Loor, M.D. • Arshad Matin Jerry Babu Patel • Timothy Schroeder Natalie Lencioni, Executive Director

8300 El Rio Street • Houston, Texas 77054 832.831.3720 norashome.org Find us on social media: NorasHomeTMC