On Friday, June 02, 2017, members of Houston’s philanthropic community gathered at the Hilton Houston Post Oak for the Inaugural St. Jude Gold Luncheon to celebrate the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

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Highlights of the function included an exclusive fashion show featuring 40 exquisite pieces by designer Nha Khanh, which kicked off the event, and silent, as well as live, auctions filled with lots of tantalizing items for attendees to bid on. Guests were also treated to an extravagant three-course meal and inspired by heartfelt stories from St. Jude families. One of the most touching moments came when patient Marley and her mother walked the runway hand-in-hand with Nha Khan. Marley’s mother, Megan, shared her daughter’s brave story with the audience and encouraged everyone to continue supporting the wonderful work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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Brigitte and Bashar Kalai, Duyen and Marc Nguyen, Tracy and Harry Faulkner, and Dr. Sippi and Ajay Khurana served as honoree families by being recognized for their philanthropic efforts in the community. Event chair, Sneha Merchant, and honorary chair, Caroline Lokey Farb, helped raise $73,239 for the hospital. Thanks to the efforts of such dedicated supporters, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for their expenses.

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St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way in which the world understands, treats, and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

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To learn more, please visit stjude.org or follow the hospital on Twitter and Instagram at

@stjuderesearch.