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Andy Gelb/Stephanie SamsonMichelle Steinberg

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

18th ANNUAL RACE TO ERASE MS EVENTTO TAKE PLACE ON

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011

Special Musical Performance by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

(Los Angeles, CA – March X, 2011) – MS Survivor and advocate Nancy Davis will kick-off and celebrate May’s Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month with the 18th Annual Race to Erase MS event at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on April 29, 2011. Each year since its inception the celebrity filled gala has raised millions for the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis and its Center without Walls program, a selected network of the nation's top seven research centers that operates with one mutual goal: to always communicate and never duplicate medical research. The star-studded evening willfeature exciting live performancesby Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,Clay Walker and other surprise performers.

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction with the live auction includingroundtrip tickets on American Airlines, Royal Honeymoon at for 5 nights at Princeville, exotic trips to St. Regis Hotels worldwide, private luxury yacht for a week in the Bahamas, a 10-day Kenya Safari for two courtesy of Ker & Downey and a fabulous Bora Bora getaway, an Ultimate Hollywood Party for 50, shopping on Robertson with Paris and Nicky Hilton, as well as other amazing celebrity autographed memorabilia, vacation getaways and experiential packages. Once in the main ballroom, the event will open with an exciting celebrity fashion show featuring a sneak preview of Andrew Charles, the new fashion line by Andy Hilfiger. The line, inspired by music and built on rock ‘n’ roll, is set for launch in the Fall of 2011.
Following the fashion show, guests will be treated to a one of a kind live auction hosted by celebrity auctioneers Shaun Robinson and Mark Curry, gala dinner, and live entertainment.The Race to Erase MS event has raised more than $35 million for the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis and its Center Without Walls program, which was founded by Davis in 1993.

The month of May not only marks the 18th Anniversary of the Race to Erase MS event, but also acts as MS awareness month, with orange being the vibrant color chosen to represent Multiple Sclerosis and hope. A variety of products will be sold with all or a portion of proceeds to benefit the cause and campaign partners include Harry & David, Kitson, Isaac Mizrahi, Judith Ripka; jewelry from Nancy Davis’ own line of Peace & Love Jewelry, Jewelry for a Cause and Bing Bang Jewelry; make-up by Laura Geller and skin care from Lisa Hoffman Beauty; hotel packages and special offerings at the Mandarin Oriental New York and Avalon Hotel’s Oliverio restaurant in Beverly Hills; candles from Archipelago;Don Francisco’s Coffee;watches by Deuce Brand; products from Kashwere, EFX Performance Inc. and more. Proceeds from the sales of these fabulous items will go to the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis. To purchase any of these items, please visit

The Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure for MS. Funding research is the core focus of the Foundation and significant strides have been made to find the cause and cure of this debilitating disease. All funds raised support “The Nancy Davis Center Without Walls” program, a unique collaboration of the world’s leading MS research scientists currently representing UC San Francisco, Brigham & Women’s Harvard Hospital, Yale, The Cleveland Clinic, Oregon Health Science University, Johns Hopkins and University of Southern California. This nationwide collaboration of physicians, scientists and clinicians are on the cutting-edge of innovative research and therapeutic approaches to treat MS. It is the hope of the Foundation that in addition to combating MS through research in a clinical environment, awareness will be created by educating the public about this mysterious disease.

The Nancy Davis Foundation’s innovative MS Forum and Expo takes place the following day, Saturday, April 30, 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. Presented by WebMD, the MS Forum and Expo will be an open forum discussion with the most prominent and leading multiple sclerosis research scientists from the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS Center Without Walls Program. These brilliant doctors from around the nation will be discussing the most exciting breakthroughs in MS science discoveries, along with panelists Nancy Davis, Teri Garr, David Osmond and more. The MS Forum and Expo is free and open to everyone, and offers a unique opportunity for guests to ask questions of MS doctors about the advances that have been made in multiple sclerosis research and patient care.

Tickets to the 18th Annual Race to Erase MS start at $1,000 and tables start from $10,000. To purchase tickets for the event, please contact r (310) 440-4842.To request media credentials to cover this event, please contact Andy Gelb or Stephanie Samson of Slate PR at (310) 461-0111 or / .

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