MDA Wings Over Wall Street gala returns to fund critical ALS research
26th annual New York event unites finance, medical worlds to find cure
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- The MDA Wings Over Wall Street Gala raises funds for ALS research.
- The event unites financial and medical communities to find a cure.
- More than $13 million has been raised since 2000, driving research progress.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will return to New York City on June 4 for its 26th annual Wings Over Wall Street Gala.
Hosted at 48 Wall Street Events, the high-profile fundraiser unites the financial community and medical researchers to accelerate the search for a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
ABC7 New York Eyewitness News anchor Bill Ritter will host the evening. Since its founding in 2000, the gala has raised more than $13 million for ALS research, a legacy started by Warren Schiffer and his late wife, Toni Diamond, following her own ALS diagnosis.
Supporters can purchase tickets or explore sponsorship opportunities through the event’s website. The organizers also encourage advocates to follow their Instagram page for live updates and behind-the-scenes content leading up to the big night.
Honoring a legacy of hope
“When my wife Toni and I started MDA Wings Over Wall Street, we never imagined it would grow into the powerful force it is today,” Schiffer said in a press release. “She lost her battle with ALS in 2004, and we carry her memory every year when families, scientists, and business leaders come together to fund critical ALS research and bring hope to people diagnosed with this devastating disease.
“It’s a privilege to see our vision make a real difference in the fight to end ALS and humbling to have the support of like-minded people who have joined this fight for life.”
Several individuals and organizations will be honored at this year’s gala. Tim Green, a former NFL player, attorney, and bestselling author living with ALS, will receive the Spirit Award. This honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to advocacy.
“ALS has challenged me and my family in ways I never imagined, but it has also shown me the power of community,” Green said. He added that he is proud to stand alongside fellow honorees as they work to find a cure in his lifetime.
The gala will also present the Diamond Award to Merit Cudkowicz, MD, a neurologist and clinical researcher who is currently the executive director of the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and the director of the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Harvard Medical School. Cudkowicz received her very first research grant from the MDA two decades ago. She credited the gala’s fundraising efforts with driving remarkable progress in clinical trials and federal research investment.
“Being honored with the Diamond Award, two decades after the MDA Wings Over Wall Street Gala first recognized me, is incredible,” Cudkowicz said. “Thanks to fundraising through the Muscular Dystrophy Association — and the passionate people and families impacted by ALS who organize this event — we’ve driven remarkable progress in ALS research, clinical care, innovative platform trials like the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial, and policy change that has secured historic federal research investment.”
Additionally, the stock exchange company IEX Exchange will receive the Michael P. Beier Award. Named after a former gala chair who died from ALS in 2003, the award recognizes IEX’s contribution of more than $300,000 to the cause.
Ronan Ryan, co-founder and chief operating officer of IEX, stated that the company is proud to support the urgent work of the MDA.
“This recognition reflects what’s possible when a community unites behind a shared purpose to advance research, strengthen access to care, and deliver real progress and hope for people and families living with ALS,” he said.
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