NEW YORK CITY: The 24 Hour Plays has announced that Kathy Bates will be honored at its 19th annual gala as part of the organization’s partnership with the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN). The event will take place on Nov. 18 at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre in Times Square.
Bates was diagnosed with lymphedema in 2015 and serves as LE&RN’s National Spokesperson. Founded in 1998, LE&RN has been working to accelerate the prevention, treatment, and cure of lymphatic diseases worldwide.
“Kathy Bates is an iconic American artist, renowned for her extraordinary achievements in film, television, and theatre,” said Mark Armstrong, artistic director for the 24 Hour Plays, in a statement. “We are looking forward to hosting an evening that celebrates her passionate activism offstage, in her capacity as the public voice of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network.”
Bates won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance in Rob Reiner’s 1990 hit Misery, based on Stephen King’s novel. More recently, she garnered her second Emmy award as Madame LaLaurie in American Horror Story: Coven. Bates first gained the attention of critics and audiences on the New York stage, earning two Obie Awards for her performances in Athol Fugard’s The Road to Mecca and in the original Off-Broadway production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.
“When I began working with LE&RN, I realized that the disease I struggled with, lymphedema, was a constant battle for up to 10 million Americans and 250 million people worldwide,” said Bates in a statement. “Only those who struggle with lymphedema (LE) and lymphatic diseases (LD) know what it’s like to battle these diseases every day. We want a cure—and a cure that not only prevents progression, but that reverses LE and LD. Until then, we need greater awareness in the medical community and more money for research. Maybe if people can put my face on lymphedema, then more people will be willing to come out of the shadows and talk about it.”
