MSAA Plans In-person and Virtual Events for May

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is presenting virtual and in-person ways to support its eighth annual Improving Lives Benefit, which will showcase more than a half-century of efforts for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community.

The virtual event, themed “Together at Home,” will be held at 7 p.m. ET May 12. An in-person reception, called “Together at Last,” is set for 6 p.m. ET May 5 at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Both affairs will be hosted by MS advocate Tyler Campbell, whose dreams of following his father, former NFL great Earl Campbell, to a professional football career were derailed when he was diagnosed with MS while playing the sport in college. An entrepreneur, Campbell speaks to audiences nationwide, delivering messages of hope and self-worth.

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Improving Lives Benefit honorees include Alexandra von Plato, an MSAA board member and CEO of Publicis, as corporate honoree and visual artist, and Hannah Garrison, the event’s mission honoree.

Von Plato, who joined the organization’s board in 2019, has been involved in various MSAA events and initiatives, including the Improving Lives Through Art series, which celebrates the benefits of artistic expression for the MS community.

Garrison, a longtime visual artist from San Antonio, Texas, has used her painting as a means of exploration and as a way to practice mindfulness and self-love after being diagnosed with MS in 2017. While she has made adjustments in the way she creates art to accommodate difficulty holding tools and other MS-related challenges, Garrison continued to create art for her and others’ well-being. She contributes to the organization’s Art Showcases, which highlight the work of artists affected by MS.

“We are so pleased to recognize two talented and inspirational advocates as our honorees for MSAA’s Improving Lives Benefit, which is once again being hosted by the incredible motivational speaker Tyler Campbell,” Gina Ross Murdoch, MSAA president and CEO, said in a press release. “Both Alex and Hannah have provided their immense expertise to our organization, helping to advance our mission of Improving Lives Today while truly making a positive impact on the MS community.”

The MSAA suggests that those who opt for the virtual event support the organization by creating a viewing party fundraiser with friends and family, with proceeds going toward MS services and programming. All viewing parties will be recognized live during the May 12 event and have a chance to earn prizes to enjoy during their party based on fundraising milestones.

Individual general tickets for the virtual event are $50 if registration is completed by May 1. VIP tickets for the virtual reception only, which also include a customized gift basket, are $150 each. Premium tickets, which include both events, are $300 each. VIP premium tickets, which also include both events and customized gift baskets, are $500 each.

For more information about Improving Lives Benefit events, contact Kaitlyn Gallagher at 800–532–7667 (ext. 122), or write to her at [email protected].