Basketball greats star in San Antonio Living Legend

Luncheon a slam dunk for ovarian cancer research

BY Miriam Smith

David Robinson and Sean Elliott reminisce about their years as Spurs teammates.

The fourth annual A Conversation With a Living Legend^® honored beloved former San Antonio Spurs super star David Robinson during a Nov. 5 luncheon at the Marriott Riverwalk. Sean Elliott, Robinson’s former teammate and longtime friend, led an interview with the National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall-of-Famer, uncovering a slew of incredible life achievements. Stories of Robinson’s time in the U.S. Navy, the Olympics and the NBA captivated an audience of more than 500.

This year’s luncheon raised more than $260,000 for ovarian cancer research and other patient care initiatives at MD Anderson. Anil Sood, M.D., director of the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program, thanked the audience for its support and noted breakthroughs that have come as a direct result of Living Legend support.

“Every year, a young investigator is selected for a seed grant,” he said. “Recently one was able to convert this seed grant into $1.9 million from the National Cancer Institute.”

Sood’s team has developed new approaches for targeting the blood supply of ovarian cancer and is working with biomarkers to detect the disease earlier.

Kim and Clyde Johnson IV and Paula and Clyde Johnson III served as event chairs with Peggy and Lowry Mays and Charline and Red McCombs as honorary chairs.

"Every year, a young investigator is selected for a seed grant. Recently one was able to convert this seed grant into $1.9 million from the National Cancer Institute."

Anil Sood, M.D.

director, Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program

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