ARCADIA, Calif. – The Methodist Hospital Foundation will host the 29th Annual Crystal Ball celebration featuring legendary rockers Foreigner at the Pasadena Convention Center on Saturday, October 6 at 5:30 p.m. Proceeds from the event will support stroke care, endovascular services and interventional radiology at Methodist Hospital of Southern California.

This year’s festivities will honor Shone and Sherry Wang of Arcadia for their commitment and dedication to Methodist Hospital and the community at large. Foundation supporters and event co-chairs Susan Woo and Patricia Nijjar are guiding the planning and coordination of the large-scale fund-raising event.

After humble beginnings on the campus of the hospital, Crystal Ball has now evolved into an annual fundraising gala that has become the top social event of the year in the San Gabriel Valley. Throughout its history, it has generated more than $8 million to support such programs as the Rehabilitation Unit, Cardiac, Stroke, Emergency Services, and the Next Generation of Care Campus Transformation at Methodist Hospital. A year ago, the event raised $591,000 for women’s services.

The excitement for Crystal Ball is building as the English/American rock band Foreigner will perform. Known worldwide, Foreigner has sold more than 75 million albums during past four decades and is famous for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems including “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” and the worldwide Number1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is.”

“Crystal Ball brings people together in a different way to celebrate the community that is the beating heart of the Methodist Hospital,” says Ms. Nijjar. “The event is a joyful occasion to bring everyone together and to remind them of the significant work that the hospital does, and to raise funds for the community it supports.”

Crystal Ball honorees Sherry and Shone Wang have graciously given their time, energy and philanthropy to Methodist Hospital for two decades while always trying to avoid attention.

Working behind the scenes—and sometimes reluctantly sharing in the spotlight—the Wangs’ contributions are numerous. Sherry and Shone helped cofound Methodist Hospital’s Annual Community Health Fair aimed at serving the Asian population, while also participating in many Hospital and Foundation committees. In 2016, Sherry even served as Chair of the Methodist Hospital Foundation. In addition, the couple has always supported the Foundation’s annual Crystal Ball and Mardi Gras fund raising events during the past decade.

Proceeds from this year’s Crystal Ball will support endovascular services and interventional radiology at Methodist Hospital to meet the increasing need of stroke patients who require immediate neuro-intervention, as well as patients with vascular disorders in need of intervention and who are best served in a minimally invasive setting. The hospital initiated its interventional radiology program in 2016 with the recruitment of Dr. K.C. Tan, one of just a few physicians in the country who is trained in both neuro-interventional and vascular interventional radiology.

In July, Methodist Hospital of Southern California received a Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification from independent rating agency DNV GL, which ensures that Methodist Hospital will continue to be part of the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (LAC/EMS) network of 18 approved stroke centers countywide.

“We are so proud of our hospital stroke team for their tremendous efforts to acquire this certification,” said Hospital President and CEO Dan Ausman. “This is a new milestone in our pursuit of excellence in stroke care and one that took an incredible amount of time and coordination.”

The hospital’s endovascular services, including comprehensive stroke care, have enabled Methodist Hospital to achieve many successes and reach many milestones during the past few years, including earning the hospital major recognition from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association.

“Our commitment to treating stroke patients means increasing our volume of ambulance deliveries and stretching the capacity of our interventional suites at the hospital,” Ausman says. “There are many examples of lives saved and lives improved because of the stellar care our stroke team provides. In order to meet the growing demand for endovascular intervention, with funds raised at Crystal Ball we intend to expand our ability to continue providing essential, minimally-invasive procedures that produce optimal outcomes for patients.”

For additional information, contact Methodist Hospital Foundation at 626-898-8888 or email: crystalball@ methodisthospital.org.

About Methodist Hospital: Founded in 1903, Methodist Hospital of Southern California is a full-service community hospital with 348 licensed beds. The hospital offers advanced cardiovascular services including cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology, and open heart surgery. Los Angeles County has designated Methodist Hospital as a heart attack receiving center and comprehensive stroke care center, as well an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics (EDAP). The hospital also offers a variety of services in orthopedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, and many other medical specialties. More than 55,000 patients are treated in the Emergency Department annually, while the hospital has more than 16,000 patient admissions each year.

Media Contact: Brian Greene, 626-354-1484

Brian.Greene@methodisthospital.org

Crystal Ball 2018 Honorees Shone and Sherry Wang