At first glance, the only obvious connection among Michael J Fox, Muhammad Ali, and Brian Grant is their fight against a common opponent: Parkinson’s Disease. Just beneath the surface, however, lie even greater commonalities: strength, grace, determination, and hope. All of those will be on display later this summer in Portland as they team up in the fight for a cure for Parkinson’s.
Grant, a long-time favorite of Portlanders from his days as a Portland Trailblazer returned to Portland in 2006 after retiring from the NBA. In 2008, at the age of 36, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a disease that affects more than five million people worldwide. After his diagnosis, he formed a natural kinship with Fox and Ali, both of whom have had Parkinson’s for many years. The grace and determination each has shown in his approach to the disease has provided hope and inspiration to millions and now they are teaming up to reach an even broader audience.
That trio, along with Pat Riley, a former coach and mentor to Grant and one of the first to call him after his diagnosis, are headlining Grant’s first annual “Shake It Till We Make It!” benefit for Parkinson’s research. The event features a private gala at the Rose Garden Arena on August 1, 2010 and a star-studded celebrity golf tournament on August 2, 2010 on the Witch Hollow Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
With generous support from corporate sponsors such as Spirit Mountain Casino, Vtech, Safeway, Wells Fargo, the Portland Trailblazers, and Nike, Grant’s aim is to raise over a half million dollars for Parkinson’s research. This year’s proceeds will benefit the Michael J Fox Foundation, founded by Fox in 2000 and now considered by many to be the most credible voice on Parkinson’s research in the world. It is the largest private funder of Parkinson’s research worldwide, having invested nearly $179 million to date.
In future years, Grant is looking to expand the impact of this event to include local endeavors like Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon and the OHSU Neurosciences Unit. Fox’s foundation currently funds research at OHSU and Grant is an active supporter of their work, so an extended partnership is a natural fit.
Grant initially created his foundation in 1999 in Portland to assist seriously ill children and their families and teamed up with Ronald McDonald House to hold Brian’s Bash, Grant’s first celebrity golf event in Portland. That three-day event raised much needed funds for many hurting families in Portland, and now Portland has a chance to help one of their own as Grant seeks to raise awareness and funding for Parkinson’s.
With Grant’s popularity as a player and a teammate, it is not surprising that many fellow NBA veterans are lining up to play in the golf tournament. Names like Clyde Drexler, Bill Walton, Bill Russell, Detlef Schrempf, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey, Chris Dudley, Damon Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Darnell Valentine, Michael Harper, Eddie House, and Rasheed Wallace dot the roster already, with more commitments from athletes, actors, and other celebrities coming in daily. The event is not open to spectators, but there are still spots available to play and join this amazing lineup.
Golf registration or gala ticket information can be found at the Shake It Till We Make It website. For those unable to participate in either event, donations to support the cause can be made through The Brian Grant Foundation. For a disease that currently has no known cure, every dollar counts.
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