Honor, Sponsor or Donate
By supporting the Shining Knight Gala through sponsorships, ticket purchases, or the Honor Wall you enable us to fund and continue our vitally important Injury and Violence Prevention Programs in the central Virginia community. Without private support, these life-changing and life-saving programs would not be sustainable. We appreciate your support of our mission of preventing injury and violence.
Honor Your Personal Shining Knight
We are proud to invite you to become involved in showing your gratitude to a special Shining Knight in your own life. Every year, the Shining Knight Gala's website and event program feature a Personal Shining Knight Honor Wall where people are able to honor their own Shining Knights through a $50 contribution.
Names of Shining Knights have been listed alphabetically and those honoring their Shining Knights have the option to remain anonymous or have their name shared as well.
My Personal Knight is Dr. Frank D. (Hank) Stoneburner, Jr.
By: Susan Butterworth
A knight in shining armor is a person who comes to aid another in a bold, gallant, and courageous way. It is not a phrase we use causally when we refer to someone who has come to our rescue in real life. Dr. Frank D. (Hank) Stoneburner, Jr. bravely came to my aid when I was threatened by a cancerous tumor in my colon.
In celebration of the VCU Trauma Center’s 10th Annual Shining Knight Gala, it is my honor to name Hank as my personal knight in shining armor. I am eternally grateful for the gifts of life and grace that Hank has given me. I treasure Hank and his wife Vonnie as lifelong friends. Since meeting them in college, we have celebrated and supported one another through the many twists and turns of our 40 years of friendship. I hope to shine a light on what it means to be a shining knight in our time by naming Hank as mine!
My greatest health challenge, and the way that Hank helped me, is the reason I want to name Hank as my shining knight. Twenty-one years ago, during a colonoscopy, my doctors discovered a golf-ball sized malignant tumor that was obstructing my colon. I wanted to get that nasty tumor out of there immediately. I had two young sons and a husband who needed me. When I regained consciousness and assessed my options, I called Hank to get his thoughts on the possibility of surgery as soon as possible. Without hesitation Hank said, “I can perform this surgery later this afternoon.” An operation on the schedule had been canceled. This was surprising to me as I had expected to wait a few days. Hank realized that since I was already prepped for surgery due to the colonoscopy, there was no need to wait.
During the surgery, Hank removed the tumor and the lymph nodes in the area. Hank successfully completed the surgery and the long road to healing began for me. Hank recommended VCU’s VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center to me for the most aggressive cancer treatment possible since I had stage 3 colon cancer with 4 positive lymph nodes. It is interesting to connect the steps in our own healing journey with those who come to our rescue when we are suffering. The site of my recovery at VCU’s Medical Center was the same place where Hank began his training to become one of Richmond’s leading doctors and surgeons. Hank is my shining knight. I am alive today because of his rapid and caring response to my health need. Thank you, Hank, and thanks to all the many others along the way at VCU for making me a 21-year cancer survivor. I am excited to shine this light on my knight! Hank exemplifies what it means to be a knight in our time!
Support Injury and Violence Prevention Programs
Funds raised at the Shining Knight Gala are used to support VCU Health Injury and Violence Prevention Programs that benefit the communities of Richmond, central Virginia and beyond.
Sponsor our Gala and support our Level I Trauma Center
A sponsorship of this event supports Injury and Violence Prevention Programs through the Trauma Center and gives your organization the opportunity to support a cause that impacts all Central Virginians in need of trauma care.