A Great Big World's Chad King Credits Race to Erase MS for His Life-Changing Drug

Yahoo

18-05-2025

The first Race to Erase MS gala I attended was back in 2010 — and from that initial experience 15 years ago, I knew I'd walked into something much more substantial than an annual fundraiser. Nancy Davis had built a community.Fifteen years later, her successful gala format has remained the same: an elongated cocktail hour-slash-mingling session over extensive silent auction items; a fashion show from a hip brand (like Alice + Olivia, L'Agence, or this year, Veronica Beard); a three-course dinner kicked off with mini grilled cheese sandwiches; and a lively musical performance that brings guests to their feet (which I saw Flo Rida do, on two occasions).
What's also remained the same are many of Race to Erase MS' attendees, who come out year after year to show support for a woman who's not only beat the odds (upon being diagnosed with MS, she was told she'd never be able to do much more than operate a remote control) but who's changed the course of science.
Upon seeking medical treatment, Davis realized that many of the great minds were duplicating research, so she united them together — to life-changing results. (Davis was featured in Los Angeles magazine's April Top Doctors Issue and you can read her first-person account here.)
"I began this complicated journey over three decades ago, when there were zero treatments for MS — and zero hope that there ever would be," Davis said when she took the stage at Fairmont Century Plaza for the 32nd annual gala on Friday, May 16. "Today, we have 25 FDA-approved drugs."While Davis is a hero to many, she's still appreciative of her supporters: "I'm so grateful to each and every one of you for being here tonight — especially after such a challenging year in Los Angeles with the wildfires," she said. "You still showed up — you are my heroes, and your generosity, compassion and support mean the world to me, and for everyone who suffers with MS."
"I've only been coming to this event for 32 years in a row — they finally asked me to be a part of the show!" said actor David Faustino, who played Bud Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children and introduced A Great Big World singer-songwriters Ian Axel and Chad King.
"Thank you to Race to Erase for having us back," began King, who sang at the event last year and was featured in Los Angeles magazine's April Top Doctors Issue. (Read King's first-person account on his condition here)."I was diagnosed with MS when I was 21 years old — it was senior year of college," King told the crowd. "I didn't know what MS was; I didn't believe my doctor. And to be honest, I kind of ignored him, and ignored the diagnosis ... I kept moving through life."
"We formed a band," King continued. "We had some success with the music we put out, which is a few albums, and toured around the world and it was awesome. And MS didn't really impact me directly. It was not in those moments. And it wasn't until four and half years ago that MS really started to affect me. I started losing strength on the left side of my body — and that meant losing strength to play the guitar, losing strength to sing and losing strength to walk."It was then that I got on Ocrevus — which is a drug that Race to Erase MS champions and is a big part of. And it was then that I spoke to Nancy Davis — who we all know and love — and she was like, 'I really think you should speak to these doctors that might be able to help.' And I did and I'm so happy to say that as of three months ago, I started to regain strength on the left side of my body."
"I started to regain enough strength to start playing guitar again," King said. "And I would love — I haven't done this in a really long time; it's been years. But I would love to play for you all on the guitar something I just wrote about this journey I've been on. It might be rough, but I would still love to."As he played the guitar in his first performance in years, King sang the lyrics: "My hands are not the same, my voice is not the same, things are different for sure. I know it won't be long ... that all in time moves on." Afterward, he exclaimed, "The fact that I'm able to strum a chord is incredible to me!' Then, taking a seat at the piano, his bandmate Axel sang a powerful rendition of their hit "Say Something."
Following dinner (featuring product sponsors Adam Vodka, G.H. Mumm Grand Brut Champagne, Hafner Vineyards, Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards, Sanpellegrino and Acqua Panna Fine Dining Waters) and a live auction — during which Kathy Hilton won the adorable puppy auctioned off each year — more entertainment continued.
Dancing with the Stars pros Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov performed a ballroom dance number. Siedah Garrett, who recently appeared at Davis' inaugural Cure Addiction Now benefit (founded after she lost her son to addiction), belted out the hit she co-wrote, "Man in the Mirror" — which is when the crowd first stood and gathered around the stage to dance.
Repeat guest Kelly Osbourne praised Davis for "standing up and being the hero that she is to so many of us." "For 32 years, she has had this charity in the palm of her hands and been on the forefront of making medical recognitions and it is unbelievable," Osbourne said. "If it wasn't for Nancy Davis, we would not know what to do. So, it is my honor tonight to introduce the man, the myth, the legend, Mr. Robin Thicke."
With great energy and emphatic dance moves, the five-time Grammy Award nominee took the stage and performed four songs ('Blurred Lines,' 'Lost Without U,' 'Magic,' and 'Take Me Higher,' along with a cover of 'I Wanna Be Your Lover') — even hopping up to dance on top of the piano — as the crowd danced in the aisles.
Then, Davis invited audience members to join her on the stage for the annual finale performance of "Lean on Me" (this time by Garrett and Thelma Houston) before a calling it a night — and raising $1.5 million for Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls research program.