Race to Erase MS founder, Nancy Davis announced today that the 31st annual Race to Erase MS Gala will take place on Friday, May 10, 2024 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
The annual Gala is one of the most important fundraising events supporting innovative research and therapeutic approaches to eradicate MS through the foundation’s Center Without Walls program. The Center Without Walls program is a collaboration between eight of the leading MS research centers across the country, who work together as a team on groundbreaking research with the goal of treating and, ultimately, finding a cure for MS.
The star-studded, landmark event will boast a fashion show from fashion brand, L’AGENCE along with a silent auction and dinner featuring live musical performances from Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield and Grammy Award winning pop duo A Great Big World. This year’s invitation was also designed by pop artist Burton Morris. Natasha Bedingfield has recently seen her iconic 2004 hit ‘Unwritten’ continue to enjoy its spectacular resurgence as it moves up to #13 in the UK singles chart, after re-entering the Top 20 for the first time in 19 years. The track’s re-emergence was boosted by its heavy inclusion in the brand new box office rom-com Anyone But You, starring Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney and Top Gun: Maverick actor Glen Powell.
“We are so thrilled and excited to have the amazing Natasha Bedingfield and incredible A Great Big World entertaining our guests for our 31st Race to Erase MS Gala. We are also looking forward to a fabulous and chic fashion show from L’AGENCE,” said Davis.
Race to Erase MS was founded in 1993 by Nancy Davis and is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis. Since the Race to Erase MS foundation was created, there has been more than $58 million raised and 26 FDA approved therapies created to aggressively fight MS that have provided hope, inspiration, and resources to those in the Multiple Sclerosis community. The gala directly benefits the foundation’s Center Without Walls program, a unique collaboration between the world’s leading MS research scientists and investigators who have bolstered their individual efforts into collective action that has led to exciting discoveries in the search for a cure.
The Center Without Walls program currently includes physicians, scientists, and clinicians from Cedars-Sinai, UCSF, Harvard, Yale, Oregon Health Science University, Johns Hopkins, UCLA and USC. The Race to Erase MS Gala has been instrumental in funding pilot studies that have contributed to drugs now on the market and other very important therapies that are improving the lives of people worldwide suffering from MS.
Davis also created the annual “Orange You Happy to Erase MS” campaign, which takes place for the entire month of May (MS Awareness Month) and adds yet another branch of fundraising for MS research. Throughout the month, a variety of orange products, many of which are specially created for this initiative, are sold to benefit the cause and elevate public awareness about MS.