On Friday, May 3, host, MS survivor and advocate Nancy Davis welcomed guests to the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza for the 20th Annual Race to Erase MS themed “Love to Erase MS.”
The event raised $1.8 million to benefit The Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls program which continues to raise funds in order to provide treatment and ultimately find a cure for MS.
Celebrity guests at this year’s event included host Nancy Davis, honorees Sharon Osbourne and Jack Osbourne, presenter Kelly Osbourne, performers Elton John and Taio Cruz with DJ Havana Brown, along with guests Byron Allen, Lindsay Arnold, Mel B., Catherine Bell, David Burtka, Kristin Cavallari, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Cat Deeley, Zoey Deutch, Christine Devine, David Faustino, Clementine Ford, Daisy Fuentes, Courtney Galiano, Teri Garr, Sara Gilbert & Linda Perry, Camille Grammer, Linda Gray, Neil Patrick Harris, Anne Heche & James Tupper, Marg Helgenberger, Chelsie Hightower, Josh Hopkins, LaToya Jackson, Terrence Jenkins, Victoria Justice, Alexis Knapp, Robert Knepper, Swoosie Kurtz, Howie Mandel, Ziggy Marley, Aly & AJ Michalka, Shemar Moore, Demitrius Omphroy, Greg Phillinganes, Kellie Pickler, Ingo Rademacher, Kim Richards, Lisa Rinna & Harry Hamlin, Shaun Robinson, Ray Romano, Ryan Rottman, Melissa Rycroft, Gleb Savchenko, Cybill Shepherd, Barry Sloane, Matt Sorum, Rod Stewart, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Lea Thompson, Bella Thorne, Bruno Tonioli, Anna Trebunskaya, Lisa Vanderpump, Dave Winfield, Amy Yasbeck, Chris Zylka, among others.
The 20th Annual Race to Erase MS included a live auction called by Howie Mandel and Shaun Robinson, during which lucky bidders walked away with items including a five-night stay at Vomo Private Island Resort in Fiji, a week charter of a gorgeous yacht to the Bahamas, and the new Aston Martin Centenary Edition DB9 auctioned in celebration of the iconic British sports car’s 100-year history.
Race to Erase MS once again hosted musical performances throughout the evening, including Taio Cruz who was joined by DJ Havana Brown to perform hits “Break Your Heart,” “Higher,” and “Dynamite.” Grammy Award-winning artist and musical icon Elton John sang an incredible 8-song set which included hits “Tiny Dancer,” “Your Song,” “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues,” “Rocket Man,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” “I’m Still Standing,” and “The Circle of Life / Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” In Race to Erase MS tradition, a rendition of “Lean On Me,” was performed as the finale of the evening, led by Aly & AJ Michalka and Greg Phillinganes, who were joined on stage by Nancy Davis, Cybill Shepherd, Marg Helgenberger, Kelly Osbourne, LaToya Jackson, David Faustino, Kim Richards, and more.
Guests couldn’t leave without picking up the coveted Race to Erase MS gift bag, enjoying such items as makeup from Laura Geller, certificates to Blushington, a Marware iPad case, nail polish from OPI, razor from Rolling Razor, and gift certificates to the M Day Spa, to name a few.
The evening was generously sponsored by Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Associated Television International and American Airlines.
The Race to Erase MS is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure for MS. Funding research is the core focus of the Foundation and significant strides have been made to find the cause and cure of this debilitating disease. All funds raised support “The Nancy Davis Center Without Walls” program, a unique collaboration of the world’s leading MS research scientists currently representing Harvard, Yale, University of Southern California, Oregon Health Science University, UC San Francisco and Johns Hopkins. This nationwide collaboration of physicians, scientists and clinicians are on the cutting-edge of innovative research and therapeutic approaches to treat MS. It is the hope of the Foundation that in addition to combating MS through research in a clinical environment, awareness will be created by educating the public about this mysterious disease.
