Thoughts About Giving: MSAA’s 12th Improving Lives Benefit
By Susan Wells Courtney
On Thursday, May 7th, we will be holding our largest fundraising event of the year: MSAA’s 12th Improving Lives Benefit, which raises vital funds to support MSAA’s free programs and services… bringing together the many different individuals who play crucial roles within the MS community… and raising awareness of our urgent mission of improving lives today for all those affected by MS.
A highlight of the event is the recognition of two honorees. We are very proud to announce that this year’s Mission Honoree is Tyler Campbell, an MS advocate, best-selling author, and well-known inspirational speaker. We are also pleased to announce that this year’s Corporate Honoree is icometrix, a company that has built FDA-cleared AI software that analyzes brain scans of people with neurological conditions including multiple sclerosis, helping clinicians and people living with MS make better-informed decisions.
MSAA’s Improving Lives Benefit is an exciting event for the entire MS community, including individuals with MS, healthcare professionals, and our supporters. The Improving Lives Benefit will take place at The Switch House in Philadelphia and will also be livestreamed for people to access from the comfort of their home.
Please join us for MSAA’s 12th Improving Lives Benefit on May 7th! To purchase tickets, attend for free via livestream, or for information about our auction and sponsorship opportunities, please visit mymsaa.org/benefit.
Special Thanks to the Following Sponsors of MSAA’s Improving Lives Benefit:
Presenting Sponsor:
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Gold Sponsors:
Biogen • Genentech • Immunic Therapeutics
MSAA’s 2026 Mission Honoree: Tyler Campbell
MSAA is proud to name Tyler Campbell as this year’s Improving Lives Benefit Mission Honoree. His story has truly been an inspiration to the MS community.
Tyler was a junior at San Diego State University (SDSU), attending on a football scholarship, when he awoke one morning unable to feel his arms and legs. This day would be the start of an entirely new direction for Tyler, as he adjusted to and excelled at a new way of life.
Son of the Hall of Fame football legend Earl Campbell, Tyler followed his family’s mantra of “A Campbell Never Quits.” With the support of his family, he continued to play football until he graduated in 2009 from SDSU. Unfortunately, fatigue and the need to focus on each move would keep him from his dream of following in his father’s footsteps into the NFL.
Something Tyler unexpectedly encountered when he was first diagnosed was the lack of research and data available for the Black MS community. He supports MSAA’s work and the many programs to raise awareness and create platforms for this community.
Along with his father Earl and other high-profile athletes, Tyler is a dedicated Ambassador and Thought Leader with the Pro Player Foundation serving individuals affected by multiple sclerosis. Founded in 2003, this nonprofit works to address the needs of underserved communities. Pro Player Foundation partners with professional athletes to build initiatives that meet community needs, raise awareness and funding, and create lasting impact.
Tyler shared, “Through my life’s trials and tribulations, HOPE is something that I never lost sight of. It’s free and costs nothing – the best part is we all have access to it. HOPE makes room for determination, determination leads to a positive attitude, and with a positive attitude there is no limit to your altitude as a human being. I cling to HOPE. That HOPE for a better tomorrow linked us at Pro Player Foundation to MSAA back in 2019 in Lubbock, Texas and my life has been blessed beyond measure because of it. All I have ever wanted to do is serve the MS community and MSAA has been that vessel allowing me to do just that. My heart is truly full and beyond thankful to be this year’s Mission Honoree.”
Over the years, Tyler has accomplished many notable achievements. A highly successful and sought-after inspirational speaker, Tyler shares his story of overcoming challenges and discovering new opportunities with groups throughout the country. Tyler has written an Amazon best-selling biography about his own life with MS called The Ball Came Out: Life From The Other Side Of The Field and hosts a radio show, Real Lyfe Reel Talk on 102.7 ESPN. He and his wife Shana have four children and they currently reside in Austin.
MSAA’s 2026 Corporate Honoree: icometrix
MSAA is very pleased to recognize icometrix as this year’s Improving Lives Benefit Corporate Honoree. Guided by world-leading experts, icometrix provides AI-powered brain imaging solutions to help improve care in neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis.
“AI,” or “artificial intelligence,” is the ability of a computer to “think” as a person would – and be able to analyze and evaluate complex data. Such systems are programmed to recognize patterns, solve problems, and support decision-making. For the MS community, this means that MRI imaging can be quickly and precisely analyzed, avoiding time delays and human error, while also keeping a detailed database of results, so changes can be tracked over time. Such findings are vital to the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of an individual with MS.
In the years since its founding in 2011, icometrix has developed several AI innovations to meet the needs of the medical community caring for neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy. In 2014, the company introduced icobrain, its flagship solution that performs automated detection and measurement of lesions and brain structures. Building on this clinical success, icometrix launched icompanion in 2020, a patient-centered platform that empowers individuals with MS to track their symptoms and stay connected with their clinical care team.
“At icometrix, we don’t see AI as a goal in itself, but as a powerful enabler of better care,” says CEO Wim Van Hecke. “For people with multiple sclerosis, it is crucial to detect subtle changes in complex follow-up brain MRI scans. Together with radiologists, the icobrain AI detects and quantifies what is clinically relevant. Our mission is to ensure that every individual living with neurological conditions benefits from timely, informed, and personalized care. Hence, we are very proud and privileged to collaborate with the MSAA.”
We are greatly appreciative of the advances that icometrix has made and the contributions to improving the treatment and care of individuals with MS, as well as those diagnosed with other neurological conditions. MSAA is proud to recognize icometrix as this year’s Improving Lives Benefit Corporate Honoree.