A Great Big World Reunites for Race To Erase MS Gala

In 2007, Chad King — one half of the singing-songwriting duo A Great Big World — learned he had multiple sclerosis. 

"I tried to ignore it to my friends, to my family — like all my symptoms, pretend they weren't there — and most of all to myself," King shared from the stage at the 31st annual Race to Erase MS gala held at Fairmont Century Plaza on Friday, May 10. "And it wasn't until maybe two or three years ago that it really started affecting my walking and my stability... and then this past year, it started affecting my voice."

"It's going to be one of the first times that me and Ian [Axel] perform together in a very long time, so thank you for being here with us," King said, before belting out "This Is The New Year," a track from their 2014 album Is There Anybody Out There?, with Axel on the piano. Then Axel alone sang hit "Say Something" to the room of supporters — who included presenters Casey Affleck and Amanda Kloots, David Arquette, Kate Cassidy, Jason Wahler, AnnaLynne McCord, Kathy and Rick Hilton, Christine Chiu, Foodgod and host Caroline Rhea.

Earlier in the night, guests mingled as they bid on a plethora of auction items during this year's elongated cocktail hour before sitting down to a three-course meal in the ballroom and watching a fashion show from L'Agence (which brand will donate 20% of purchases made in L.A. stores through Mother's Day to the organization). 

Race to Erase MS founder Nancy Davis wore a sequin L'Agence dress and coat, and other guests including Kloots, Cassidy, Hilton, McCord, Heather Dubrow, Bijou Phillips, Scheana Shay, Ashley Benson and Hilary Shor donned L'Agence designs. Cassidy, McCord and Tia Carrere accessorized with Peace & Love By Nancy Davis jewelry.

"Welcome to the 31st annual Race to Erase MS — not to be confused with the Race to Erase PMS," joked Davis from the stage. "One is definitely curable thanks to all of you — and the other will never be."

In 1991, when she was 33 years old and a young mom to three kids, Davis was diagnosed with MS and told she would never walk again. As she sought out second opinions from some of the best doctors and hospitals in the country, she realized they were unknowingly doing identical research — so she established an organization that would bring the best minds together and pool resources. 

Davis founded Race to Erase MS in 1993 — which has since raised more than $50 million for MS research and conducted the pilot studies for 18 of the 24 drugs that are now on the market for a disease that once had none. Race to Erase MS fundraises for its Center Without Walls research program through its annual gala. This year's raised $1.5 million. 

"The lyrics from my favorite song from Natasha Bedingfield, 'Unwritten,' so beautifully capture our important goal: of reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it, release your inhibitions... and the rest is still unwritten," concluded Davis. "Please help us write the next successful chapter in the book of multiple sclerosis, to reach for that cure for MS. It's in our sights and we want to stop this terrible disease forever."

Following a live auction, Bedingfield fittingly closed the night by performing hits "Pocketful of Sunshine" and "Unwritten."