Barry Gibb Helps Diabetes Research Institute Commemorate 40 Years Of Love And Hope

Music legend to give exclusive concert at Love and Hope Ball on Valentine's Weekend!

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Oct. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While Barry Gibb and his band have been entertaining fans in Ireland and England with The Mythology Tour recently, the ladies of Love and Hope have been preparing for an exclusive concert to be held at the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, FL, on February 15, 2014. Returning once more to the Love and Hope Ball, the music legend will help commemorate the 40^th anniversary of this black-tie affair, which supports the cure-focused mission of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI), located at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

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Love and Hope has been a philanthropic focus for the Gibb family for decades. At fundraisers in the past, Barry performed with his brothers – Andy, Maurice and Robin. Over the years, he memorialized each of them at the Ball with touching tributes. Now, Barry will share the stage with the next generation of Gibb musicians, including Stephen, his eldest son, and Samantha, Maurice's daughter. Barry and his wife, Linda, serve as Love and Hope International Chairmen, as well as honorary members of the DRI Foundation's board of directors. Following in the steps of their parents, the Gibb children, Stephen and Gloria, Ashley and Therese, Travis and Stacey, Michael and Jenna, and Ali Gibb, have pledged to continue the Gibb legacy as members of the Young Society of Love and Hope.

For four decades, the Love and Hope Ball has featured fabulous food, spectacular decor with a surprise theme, dancing and excitement, but the committee will add an extra element of fun on this anniversary occasion. Love and Hope Life Chairman Sonja Zuckerman and Executive Chairman Sandra Levy have announced that an after-party, featuring a popular deejay and a Viennese dessert table, will follow the cocktail reception, dinner program and concert.

Scheduled for Valentine's Weekend, the Ball will be held in honor of Zuckerman for her 40 years of unwavering dedication to finding a cure. She has been at the helm of the committee, known as the Love and Hope Family, since the very beginning. Also to be recognized at this grand affair is DRI Scientific Director Dr. Camillo Ricordi for his extraordinary work in diabetes research. Other honorees will be announced at the Love and Hope Preview Party, which will be held in a new location, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, and on a new day, Saturday, November 23, 2013.  

Tickets to the Ball are $600 per person. There is a minimum donation of $250 per person for Preview Party guests. To be placed on the invitation list, please call the DRI Foundation at 800-321-3437 or email [email protected]. For updates, visit www.DiabetesResearch.org/Love-and-Hope-Ball.

The Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine leads the world in cure-focused research. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to develop a biological cure by restoring natural insulin production and normalizing blood sugar levels without imposing other risks. Researchers have already shown that diabetes can be reversed through islet transplantation, with some study patients living without the need for insulin injections for more than a decade. The Institute is now building upon these promising outcomes by developing the DRI BioHub, an integrated "mini organ" that mimics the native pancreas, containing thousands of insulin-producing cells that sense blood sugar levels and produce the precise amount of insulin needed in real time.  The Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation were created for one reason – to cure diabetes – which is and will continue to be its singular focus until that goal is reached. For the millions of children and adults affected by diabetes, the Diabetes Research Institute is the best hope for a cure. For more information, please visit DiabetesResearch.org or call 800-321-3437.

SOURCE Diabetes Research Institute Foundation