Sarcoidosis foundation marks 25 years of research, advocacy for cure
Gala in Chicago honors key clinicians, advocates, and industry partners
The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) marks 25 years of work to help people with sarcoidosis live better lives with an evening gala honoring leaders and partners driving research, care, and advocacy for the disease.
Its 25th Anniversary Awards Gala — to be held Oct. 22 at the historic Union League Club of Chicago — features a cocktail reception and dinner awards program, bringing together patients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders.
“For 25 years, FSR has been at the forefront of innovation, collaboration, and advocacy for the sarcoidosis community,” Mary McGowan, FSR’s president and CEO, said in a foundation press release. “This celebration honors our past while setting the stage for the future, as we work together to ensure better treatments, greater awareness, and ultimately, a cure.”
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that causes small clumps of immune cells, called granulomas, to form in organs and tissues, affecting their function. It most often develops in the lungs, but it can affect many organs at once. While research has made advances, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose and treat, and there is still no known cure.
Gala honors leaders in research and advocacy
During the event, four awards honor clinicians, partners, and advocates whose work has contributed to increased sarcoidosis awareness and education, as well as improved care.
The FSR Award for Distinguished Leadership in Sarcoidosis Research will be presented to Elliott Crouser, MD, a pulmonologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Crouser has spent more than two decades advancing research and treatment guidelines for sarcoidosis.
The FSR Congressional Award for Transformative Action through Public Service will go to Congressman Danny K. Davis of Illinois. He has long advocated for healthcare access and equity and helped establish April as Sarcoidosis Awareness Month in the U.S. His efforts have also helped ensure job protections for those participating in clinical trials.
Walgreens receives the FSR Sarcoidosis Corporate Collaborator Award for its partnership with FSR to boost awareness about sarcoidosis and prevent lung damage resulting from wildfires and their aftermath.
The FSR Innovative Media Impact Award honors the creators of the Netflix show, “No Good Deed.” The series brought national attention to sarcoidosis by portraying a family’s emotional journey with a sarcoidosis diagnosis and the anxiety that often follows.
The FRS gala will be hosted by Jeryl Prescott Gallien, actress and spokesperson for FSR’s Ignore No More campaign, which helps identify ways to ease access for Black and African American sarcoidosis patients to clinical trials. Known for her roles in “Star Wars: Ahsoka,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Swamp Thing,” Gallien provides personal insight as someone living with sarcoidosis.
Those unable to attend the event are invited to donate on the foundation’s web page to support efforts to find a cure for sarcoidosis.
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