By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The Harold and Carole Pump Foundation brought together sports stars, entertainers, community leaders and major contributors for an inspiring evening at the Beverly Hills Hilton, raising awareness and support in the ongoing fight against cancer.
The foundation’s mission is to raise funds and awareness for the treatment and cure of cancer. Through partnerships with the community, sports leaders and others touched by the disease, the organization supports cancer treatments, programs, services and advanced medical technologies.
A Legacy of Giving
Magic Johnson helped set the tone for the evening, emphasizing the importance of service and legacy.
“When you bless others, that’s when you’re doing something. That’s gonna be a part of your legacy,” Johnson said while introducing Harold and Carole Pump Foundation co-founders Dana and David Pump.
The brothers have built the foundation in honor of their parents, Harold and Carole Pump. Harold courageously battled cancer before his passing in 2000, while Carole died in 2012. Their lives and legacy inspired Dana and David to dedicate themselves to helping others affected by cancer.
Working with the Northridge Hospital Foundation, the Pump brothers have helped raise more than $13.5 million to support the Carole Pump Women’s Center, the Harold & Carole Pump Department of Radiation Oncology, the Pump Family Infusion Center and the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Cancer Center at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, along with other nonprofit community organizations.
Humanitarian Award Honors Gilbert and Rowley
This year’s Humanitarian Award recognized Dennis Gilbert and Nick Rowley for their commitment to giving back.
“Dennis Gilbert and Nick Rowley have dedicated their lives to lifting others up, and we’re proud to honor them with this year’s Humanitarian Award,” Dana Pump said. “Their generosity and commitment to making a difference reflect the spirit of our foundation and the legacy of our parents.”
Gilbert’s philanthropic work includes serving as founder and chairman of the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for financially vulnerable scouts and their families. He also financed the development of a baseball field at Southwest Community College and has served on Major League Baseball committees involving salary arbitration and player diversity.
Gilbert has been a special assistant to the chairman of the Chicago White Sox since 2002. He was recently named commissioner of Perfect Game and founded the Believe in Baseball Foundation to support underprivileged players. Before entering the life insurance business, Gilbert worked as a sports agent from 1979 to 2000.
Stars Share Personal Connections
The evening also featured heartfelt reflections from entertainers and sports figures who spoke about the importance of using their platforms to help others.
Former Lifetime Achievement Award winner Anthony Anderson shared a deeply personal connection to the foundation’s mission.
“We’re supposed to use our platforms to better our community and better ourselves,” Anderson said. “You guys don’t know this about me, but I’ve lost my biological father and four of his siblings to cancer all within three to five years, so your foundation means a lot to me because I believe in what you’re doing — raising money and raising awareness.”
Denzel Washington also praised the Pump brothers for their longstanding commitment to helping others.
“These two men have done more for more people while asking for less credit than anyone I know,” Washington said. “They have been very kind to me, to my family, to my children. I love them like they’re my brothers from another mother.”
The star-studded gathering included Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and players Mookie Betts, Kiké Hernández, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Miguel Rojas and Will Smith.
Guests also participated in silent and live auctions featuring sports memorabilia, luxury travel experiences, VIP tickets to major events and other exclusive items.
A Legacy That Continues
Roberts accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the Dodgers and reflected on the longevity of the Pump brothers’ work.
“What David and Dana Pump have done, this legacy doesn’t happen in five, 10 or 15 years. They have the same enthusiasm and motivation 26 years later,” Roberts said.
For the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation, that enduring commitment remains central to its mission: turning personal loss into hope, resources and opportunity for people and families affected by cancer.