May I Please Ask for Your Support?
I’m walking to help create a world free of MS, in support of my good friend, Bill Gillispie, Jr., and the thousands of others whose lives have been impacted by this cruel disease.”
Straight to the point, I'm asking for donations of any size! Or, if you live in the Treasure Valley, please join my Team Gillispie walk this coming Saturday, April 25th!
Why I walk?
I have been supporting the MS Society, and Team Gillispie for close to 20 years. As an organization, the MS Society has made amazing progress in finding a cure. Medications discovered over recent years have improved the lives of countless people including Bill's.
While we walk for anyone, & everyone, fighting the battle with MS; I walk specifically for Bill Gillispie Jr. and all those he supports in his efforts to find a cure.
"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give!" - Winston Churchill
If interested, please read Bill's story below.
I signed up for Walk MS, an inspiring experience where friends and family, loved ones, and the MS community, come together to show support and solidarity for people with MS — because no one should have to face this disease alone.
This year, I am also hosting a "Team Gillispie" event here in Boise, ID. (The Treasure Valley)
We have set an ambitious fundraising goal of $6,000 because I know that every dollar raised fuels cutting-edge research and provides critical services that allow those affected by MS to live their best lives.
Are you ready to make a difference? Donate today and help me reach our goals. If you're in the area, please plan to join our MS Walk on Saturday, April 25th at Julius Kleiner Park in Meridian. Walk begins at 10:00 am MDT.
With your help, we can put an end to MS forever!
Read Bill's Story below:
Dear Friends and Family,
What was supposed to be a simple check-up turned into something much more.
I flew back to Chicago alone, expecting a routine visit. Instead, after seeing my doctor, I was sent immediately for blood work, ultrasounds, and X-rays. Because I’ve spent a lot of time at the University of Chicago Hospital over the years (284 visits and counting), the results came quickly.
That afternoon, the news began to unfold: a growth on my kidney, early signs of liver disease, severe arthritis in my right knee (now bone-on-bone), and osteoporosis in the surrounding bone.
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The one piece of good news was that a concerning area in my groin turned out to be non-cancerous and unrelated to my prior prostate cancer.
Sitting alone in my car, I called Gretchen and, for a moment, it all hit me and I started to cry. These were all new challenges. My body felt like it was turning on itself. The stress triggered an MS flare-up — my body burned, I loss the hearing in my left ear, and my vision blurred .
And then Gretchen did what she always does.
With her signature humor, she told me she keeps an imaginary “skeleton chart” of me at home — purple flags for what’s currently wrong, green flags for what’s been removed, and red flags for all the man-made parts.
Then she said, “Your only assignment before coming home is to collect more flags… we’re out.”
We both laughed. And just like that, perspective returned.
After 27 years of living with Multiple Sclerosis and the toll of long-term treatments, including heavy steroid use, my body has been through a lot. But we have a plan. My right shoulder was replaced last November and over the next year, I’ll be undergoing several procedures, including a knee replacement, eye surgeries, and another neck surgery. The kidney growth is not cancerous, and my liver condition has stabilized for now.
The encouraging news is that my MS itself has been quiet. No new brain lesions in over a decade — still holding at 15. And that’s because of you and your support!
Your support over the years made it possible for me to start Ocrevus, a breakthrough treatment that has effectively stopped my MS progression. What used to require a 6-hour infusion is now a simple 10-minute injection — a small miracle made possible through generosity like yours.
Back in 1999, when I was first diagnosed at 36, there were only three treatment options. That same year, in a Minnesota snowstorm, we held our first walk and raised $6,000.
Since then, Team Gillispie has raised over $2.5 million.
This year, we will continue the fight by walking in Long Beach, Fort Wayne, Sarasota, Boise, and Chicago — all with one goal: to help find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.
That’s why I’m reaching out today.
We are deeply grateful for your support over the years, but the journey isn’t over. There are still 1 million people in the United States living with MS — and they need us.
If you’re able, please consider supporting Team Gillispie by clicking the link below.
Together, we keep moving forward.
God bless and thank you for being part of this fight.
With much gratitude,
Gretchen & Billy