The Whirl: 2026 Discovery Ball

On Mar. 21, the American Cancer Society hosted its 2026 North Carolina Discovery Ball at The Bradford, welcoming 400 guests for an evening themed “Hope Takes the Lead.” Together, attendees raised $820,000 to support cancer research, treatment and patient services across North Carolina. The celebration highlighted the power of community partnership, with essential contributions from more than 40 local businesses.

Alex Whitfield, Mary Whitfield, Hannah Anderson, JoAnn Anderson,
Chad Anderson, Sarah Murphy, Hugh Murphy
Brian Lesley, Anita Graham, Melissa Lesley, Layna Langley, Brenda Wagner, Frances Martin Urdaneta, Adam Urdaneta, Karl Wagner
Chris Burnham, Asa Burnham
Katie Williams, Rush Williams, Madison Calloway
Cullen Stafford, Louise Stafford, Maddie Hazelgrove, Scott Hazelgrove, Lauren Bean, Alex Bean
Beth Brooks, Brooke Weber, Hannah Goldstein, Katherine Wall, Suzanna Pierce, Ashley Rush
Inslee Farris, Anderson Farris
Emily Johnson, Trevor Johnson
DJ Oliver, Anna Oliver, Blair Stanley, Jon Stanley

This article originally appeared in the May 2026 issue of WALTER magazine.