15 Apr 2016
Criminal Minds‘ Kirsten Vangness and Paget Brewster, and Mom‘s Jamie Presley, along with many other celebrities who attended the 23rd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. Founder, Creative Director, and CEO of Alex and Ani®, Carolyn Rafaelian was honored with the Race to Erase MS Medal of Hope Award. The event emcee was NCIS Los Angeles‘ LLCoolJ.
A silent and live auction was held at the gala which featured a live performance by legendary artists, KISS , all to raise funds for Race to Erase MS, founded by Nancy Davis who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 33 in 1991.
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 $34,791,259 in contributions, and funded MS research grants and programs totaling $23,083,274. Race to Erase MS’ 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.
See gallery below of those who attended and showed support to help fight against multiple sclerosis.
LL Cool J onstage during the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
LL Cool J and host Nancy Davis embrace onstage during the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
LL Cool J attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
LL Cool J attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
LL Cool J attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
LL Cool J speaks onstage during the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Paget Brewster attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Paget Brewster attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Kirsten Vangsness attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Kirsten Vangsness attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Kirsten Vangsness attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Kirsten Vangsness attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Jaime Pressly attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Jaime Pressly attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Jaime Pressly attends the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Jaime Pressly speaks onstage during the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Gene Simmons of KISS performs onstage during the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer of Kiss perform onstage during the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
Producer Randy Jackson (2nd L) with (L-R) musicians Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer of KISS attend the 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 15, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
. arriving at 's red carpet (15th April)
— Ashley Tisdale COM ()
With the best KISS air drummer Salvador & delightful
— Kirsten Vangsness ()