Pink bow ties, cummerbunds and dazzling gowns to rival those worn at the Oscars were on display as Cayman’s community helped raise in excess of $300,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation on Saturday.
A capacity audience of 650 people at The Ritz-Carlton resort opened their hearts and, in many cases, their wallets, for the charity.
The ball featured a live auction with prizes including a dinner with Governor Jane Owen, which went for $50,000, as well as luxury staycations, aesthetic treatments and tickets to a Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert.
There were video messages at the beginning of the evening from American broadcaster Hoda Kotb and Sarah, Duchess of York, who announced that she will be back as keynote speaker next year.
This year’s headliner Mathew Knowles, father of Beyoncé, spoke about his diagnosis of breast cancer and the importance of everyone getting genetic testing. His speech was based on his own experience, testing positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation.
As always, it was an emotional night as breast cancer survivors swapped stories and others shared messages of hope.
Knowles, 71, a music mogul, speaker, professor, author and entrepreneur, spoke separately to the Compass in a wide-ranging interview covering his breast cancer, his return to the Cayman Islands, entrepreneurship, and about raising pop icons.
Saxophonist and singer Jason Isaacs closed a star-studded night by getting many attendees up on the dance floor.
Source: Cayman Compass