Hartford HealthCare’s Black & Red Gala raises $2.6M

Contributed Hartford HealthCare's 2024 Black & Red Gala at The Bushnell raised $2.6 million.

Contributed Bimal Patel, left, president of Hartford Hospital & senior vice president of Hartford HealthCare, and Jeff Flaks, right, Hartford HealthCare president & CEO, present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Lenworth Jacobs, a trauma surgeon and educator, during the Black & Red Gala.

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By David Krechevsky

Hartford HealthCare’s 32nd annual Black & Red Gala was pure gold.

The gala, held Saturday at The Bushnell, is the premier fundraising event for Hartford Hospital. This year, it raised $2.6 million — the largest amount in its history, officials said. The net proceeds will benefit the hospital’s Emergency Department.

During the event, Bimal Patel, president of Hartford Hospital and senior vice president of Hartford HealthCare, recognized 25 Hartford Hospital Heroes nominated by their peers for embodying the organization’s values of caring, equity, excellence, integrity, and safety.

“The philanthropic support garnered for this year’s event is unprecedented and a testament to the trust and pride our community has in Hartford Hospital,” Patel said, noting that the ED has more than 120,000 visits each year. “This outstanding support will allow us to enhance the resources we need to care for the emergent needs of our community every day.”

The gala also honored Dr. Lenworth M. Jacobs with the Hartford Hospital Lifetime Achievement Award. Jacobs is a trauma surgeon and educator who served as director of Trauma and Emergency Medicine for more than 40 years. He was instrumental in establishing Hartford Hospital as a Level 1 Trauma Center, creating the LifeStar helicopter ambulance program, and launching the national “Stop the Bleed” campaign after the shooting at Sandy Hook.

The gala was highlighted by a performance by entertainer Jennifer Hudson, the youngest woman ever to win the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.

“The Black & Red event brings together people from across the state to support and celebrate exceptional healthcare,” said Jeffrey A. Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare. “We are so grateful, and we could not be more proud of our colleagues’ dedication and diligence, which have earned Hartford HealthCare top rankings for quality, outcomes and safety.”

A date and venue for the 2025 Black & Red is expected to be announced later this year.