Vegas-themed gala hits the jackpot for MS research, programs
$5,000 Welcome Bonus
How often is it that everyone departs a winner after spending an evening in Las Vegas? It happened when the Rocky Moutain MS Center hosted Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, a casino-themed gala that raised over $300,000 for research, programs and services for Coloradans living with multiple sclerosis.
Gary and Joli Garcia chaired the Sept. 17 event that brought some 400 people to the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel for an evening that included dinner, live and silent auctions, dancing to the music of the Nacho Men and casino games.
The Garcias were introduced to the Rocky Mountain MS Center in 2015 when their daughter was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It was, however, not their first exposure to the disease, as Gary’s aunt had been diagnosed with it in the 1960s.
“Unfortunately,” Joli Garcia said, “she never had the benefit of the advanced research and treatments that are available today, thanks to the work of the Rocky Mountain MS Center. Because of the center, our daughter is living a good life full of hope for the future in her fight against MS.”
Multiple sclerosis causes the immune system to eat away at the protective covering of nerves, resulting in damage that disrupts communication between the brain and the body. It is a long-lasting disease affecting the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. There is no cure.
While multiple sclerosis is a relatively rare disease, with some 12,000 new diagnoses per year, Colorado has a disproportionally high prevalence rate, with one in about every 550 people having it.
Gala guests included:
- American Furniture Warehouse founder/CEO Jake Jabs
- Jack Rotole, who has earned a spot on the list of America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- Tom Marsh, retired executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and a 2020 inductee to the Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame
- Mark Johnson, chairman/CEO of Johnson Storage and Moving
- Terri Fisher, owner/president of 5 Star Talent and Entertainment
- Dr. John Corboy, medical director of the Rocky Mountain MS Center
- Gina Hensrud, the center’s chief executive officer
About the organization: The Rocky Mountain MS Center at the University of Colorado is the home of one of the largest multiple sclerosis research programs in the world, with dozens of clinical trials underway with patient participants from around the region. The results of this work drive the center’s medical care approach to maximize lifelong brain health through comprehensive care, which supports the brain’s ability to protect and repair itself and promotes quality of life for patients and their families. The center also offers support programs that include patient and community education events; an adult day enrichment program for younger adults with multiple sclerosis, brain injury, stroke and other neurological conditions; hydrotherapy and online exercise; counseling; disability assessment and multiple sclerosis ID cards.
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