THE CROWD:

It has been a personal crusade.

Sue Hook and her husband, David, of Newport Beach stood before the crowd assembled for the 25th annual gala in support of cystic fibrosis research and told the crowd they had raised an astounding net amount of $722,000.

“We are thrilled beyond description,” Sue Hook said, fighting back tears. The evening filled with high spirits unfolded at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel at Newport Center.

Hook shared that the first unexpected challenge of the night took place about 7 p.m. when she was informed that her long-standing emcee and auctioneer Shawn Parr was suffering from severe food poisoning and was unable to attend the event.

Cystic fibrosis patrons Jenny and Bill Klein stepped up joining Sue and Dave Hook and Quinn Fry of television’s “Real Housewives of the O.C.” and along with others in the crowd took over the emcee and auction duties, making the evening a major success.

Sue Hook confided, “The Kleins are absolute angels, they matched our ‘bid for a cure,’” bringing the total donation to $367,400.

The recent gala began with a silent auction and cocktails featuring the very popular Ketel One martini bar, followed by dinner and dancing and the live auction.

The black-tie evening was chaired by Sue Hook with dedicated assistance from Karen Hall, Gayle Demsher, Charlene Goetz, Debbie Hambright, Dean Gerrie, Danni Good, Gail Isen, Paul Motenko and Maggie MacCubbin.

Special guests in the crowd included Lula Halfacre and her daughter Natalie, David and Izzy Hirson, Ross and Linda Peters, Marcia Rosenberg, Mike and Mary Zollman, Diana Vanderwall, and Bob and Terri Paulick. Also supporting Cystic Fibrosis were Amy Cullen, Scott and Susan Jackson, Jack and Mary Norberg, Kim and Allen Powell, and Adrienne Brennan.

The cystic fibrosis gala is nothing if not an emotional evening inasmuch as the disease afflicting children is fatal. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, no cure has been found.

On this night, Stacy Motenko, 21, shared with the crowd her experience of living with cystic fibrosis and the extreme challenges in her life during the past year. Her address moved the audience to tears, and as a result helped to bring in record-breaking donations to fund much-needed research.

For Sue Hook this success was also a very personal tribute to a woman who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of answers.

Hook has chaired the cystic fibrosis gala and fundraising effort in Orange County for the past 21 years and has made an enormous difference.

Not only has she been involved locally, but Sue and David Hook have been in the forefront on the national scene as well, interfacing with the medical community along with caregivers, families in need of assistance, and children suffering from the horrific illness.

Along the journey, they have become close comrades with the Motenko family, the Kanofsky family, and other Orange County people with children who are either fighting the disease or have been lost to its ravages.

Major sponsorship for the evening and the cause came from American Airlines, BJ’s Restaurants, Pat Hitchcock O’Connell, the Crean Foundation, Ken and Debbie Johnson, Todd and Sue Klug, and a host of other generous corporate and personal donors.

Also spotted in the crowd were Dr. Myron and Carol Kanofsky, who lost their daughter Sarah to cystic fibrosis.

For more information about the fight against cystic fibrosis please call the Southern California chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at (714) 938-1393, or go to www.cff.org.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.