Our Eye On LA host and French Reporter Jackie Watson was at The Race to Erase MS annual event which is a celebrity spectacular and gala to raise funds for research to find the cause and ultimate cure for multiple sclerosis. It was held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza 2025 Ave of the Stars, Century City
Live Musical Performances By
NE-YO
RITA ORA
and
Other Surprise Guests
Honoring
Tommy Hilfiger
As the principle fundraising effort of the Foundation, the Race to Erase MS event has been instrumental in raising desperately needed funds for important MS research. Proceeds go directly to the Center Without Walls program, a unique collaboration of eminent physicians, scientists and clinicians nationwide developing innovative research programs and new therapeutic approaches to eradicate MS from our planet forever. They are advancing our efforts to find a cure much faster than any one entity could alone.
About
Our Mission
Race to Erase MS is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis. Funding research is the core focus of the Foundation and all funds raised support our Center Without Walls program, a selected network of the nation’s top MS research centers. This nationwide collaboration of physicians and scientists are on the cutting-edge of innovative research programs, working as a team on therapeutic approaches to eradicate MS. In addition to combating MS through research in a clinical environment, we hope to increase awareness by educating the public about this mystifying disease.
Since 1999, the Race to Erase MS has raised $32,828,789 in contributions. We have funded MS research grants and programs totaling $21,968,498. Our core focus is to assist in the treatment and ultimate cure of MS. 71% percent of all Race to Erase MS spending since 1999 has been on program activities, funding cutting edge research through our Center Without Walls, which is greater than the 65% recommended by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
We are proud of the tremendous strides that have been made in our Race to Erase MS and the advances that have been made towards finding a cure.
The landscape of MS…There are now nine drugs with FDA approval to help stop the progression of MS and three more coming out in the very near future. The future is bright for the person being diagnosed today with multiple sclerosis.
Our History
The Race to Erase MS was founded by Nancy Davis in 1993 after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. After her diagnosis, she was determined to devote her time and resources to finding a cure. Nancy’s hope, courage and strength continue to inspire her to maintain a vibrant quality of life despite this chronic disease, but most of all, she remains positive, continues to live her life to the fullest and is tireless in her efforts to finding the cure for MS.
In the process of learning all she could about multiple sclerosis, she discovered that MS affects close to two million Americans primarily between the ages of 20 and 40, and three times as many women as men, Nancy Davis made it her deep personal commitment to help find the cause and ultimately the cure of this disease. In 1993 she founded the Race to Erase MS and held the first Race to Erase MS event – an intimate ski getaway weekend in Aspen, Colorado – that pulled in over $1.3 million for the Center Without Walls Program. Since its inception, the Race to Erase MS has become an exciting star-studded gala. The foundation has gained the support of many key individuals in the fashion and entertainment worlds, including Tommy Hilfiger who has been a major sponsor since 1997 and who has a sister living with MS. The annual Race to Erase MS event has raised over $35 million for multiple sclerosis research to date.
All proceeds directly fund the foundation’s Center Without Walls program, a selected network of the nation’s top seven MS research centers. This nationwide collaboration of physicians, scientists and clinicians are on the cutting-edge of innovative research programs and therapeutic approaches to eradicate MS. The Centers work as a team constantly communicating, never duplicating. It was the goal of Nancy Davis to build a winning team and the Foundation sought out the best and the brightest MS research facilities throughout the world. It is the hope of her Foundation that in addition to combating MS through research in a clinical environment, that an increased awareness will be created by educating the public about this devastating disease.
“While there’s no cure for MS yet, we have broken so much new ground in a very short time and we will not stop until we cross the finish line and find a cure for MS,” Nancy explains. It’s amazing how the landscape has significantly changed over the years. At the time Nancy was diagnosed is 1993, there were no drugs on the market to help stop the progression of this disease. Miraculously, there are now nine with FDA approval with three more very near approval and others to be approved in the very near future. We are now so much closer to finding a cure.
This expansion of minds working towards a cure gives individuals the confidence that MS may in fact be erased in the next decade with the diligent work of the Center Without Walls Physicians and the continued support of the many generous and caring contributors to this cause.
