Organizers of the 14th annual Crystal Gala held Saturday in Abbotsford expect the event to have raised about $130,000 once the final tally is in.
Dorothy Dyck, past chair and founding member of the Crystal Gala Foundation, said the sold-out gala, held at the Ramada Plaza and Conference Centre, was a huge success.
"It's so moving to see the generosity of this community in supporting this event," she said.
Funds from the celebration go toward the fight against breast cancer. Of the $1.2 million raised since the event began, $625,000 has gone to the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer, resulting in the naming of the Crystal Gala Breast Health Unit.
The funds have purchased two state-of-the-art digital mammography machines – one in the health until and one in the medical imaging department.
The money is also going toward a "patient navigation program" designed to speed up wait times for breast cancer testing.
This year's gala, attended by almost 380 people, was themed Bright Lights of Broadway and included the red-carpet treatment, complete with photographers snapping photos of attendees as they arrived.
Planning is already underway for the 2013 gala. For more information or to get involved, call 604-853-5463 or email info@crystalgala.com.