About Us
MDA's 15th Annual Night of Hope Gala in Atlanta to Raise Over $10M for ALS Research
ATLANTA, GA – Monday, January 31, 2022 –– The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is proud to announce the return of the in-person MDA Atlanta Night of Hope Gala: A Benefit for ALS Research, with presenting sponsor Accenture. The event will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 6pm, at the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel to raise critical funds for ALS (aka Lou Gehrig’s disease) research, and MDA designated ALS Care Center’s including Emory ALS Center at Emory University School of Medicine.
Honorees of the event are Carol and Gary Godfrey. The Godfrey’s will receive the 2022 Steve Ennis Hope Award at the event. Gary, a star college athlete who played basketball at Auburn University with the legendary Charles Barkley for the Auburn Tigers, later became a global leader at Accenture. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2019 at the Emory ALS Center, after experiencing weakness in his arms. His wife, Carol, led a successful career at Southwire, a dedicated sponsor of the event.
"In 2010, the Hope Award was created to honor Steve Ennis, former chairman of the board of Coca-Cola Bottling Works of Tullahoma. Steve was diagnosed with ALS in July 2005 and unfortunately lost his battle with the disease in January 2012. His strength, determination and hope have remained a cornerstone of this event and its supporters. Each year, it is an honor to recognize an individual who has shown strength, integrity, and grace when faced with ALS, and there is no one more deserving than Carol and Gary Godfrey," said Carmen Titelman, Chair, Night of Hope Gala Committee.
"We are so grateful to support Carol and Gary Godfrey, Ed Tessaro and his family, the sponsors and indefatigable committee members, who raise awareness and funds by dedicating their time and energy to this annual event. These funds are critical to the work at the Emory ALS Center, and there is progress being made with more clinical trials than ever before. Together we will meet our mission to end ALS," said Donald S. Wood, President and CEO of MDA.
This year’s Night of Hope sponsors include presenting sponsor Accenture, Control Southern, Raymond James, Choate Construction, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, The Edward R Fisher Charitable Foundation, The Ennis Family, Southwire, Ameris Bank, Helen and Jimmy Carlos, Northside Hospital, Southeastern Container, Georgia Power, The Sims Family Foundation, Shah Family Foundation, Coca-Cola United, Company Distilling, Emerson Electric, Emory Brain Health Center, LocumTenens.com, Permobil, Numotion, Primerica Foundation, Turnipseed Engineers, Stephen & Kim Boyd, Ken Silbert, Gregory Owens, and the Goodwyn & Bridges Families . Media partners include Modern Luxury and Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine.
Updates will be posted here.
About the Muscular Dystrophy Association
For 70 years, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has been committed to transforming the lives of people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. We do this through innovations in science and innovations in care. As the largest source of funding for neuromuscular disease research outside of the federal government, MDA has committed more than $1 billion since our inception to accelerate the discovery of therapies and cures. Research we have supported is directly linked to life-changing therapies across multiple neuromuscular diseases. MDA's MOVR is the first and only data hub that aggregates clinical, genetic, and patient-reported data for multiple neuromuscular diseases to improve health outcomes and accelerate drug development. MDA supports the largest network of multidisciplinary clinics providing best-in-class care at more than 150 of the nation's top medical institutions. Our Resource Center serves the community with one-on-one specialized support, and we offer educational conferences, events, and materials for families and healthcare providers. MDA Advocacy supports equal access for our community, and each year thousands of children and young adults learn vital life skills and gain independence at summer camp and through recreational programs, at no cost to families. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MDA continues to produce virtual events and programming to support our community when in-person events and activities are not possible. MDA's COVID-19 guidelines and virtual events are posted at mda.org/COVID19. For more information, visit mda.org.
