Above: From left, Naperville’s First Lady Julie Chirico with Friends for the Charlotte and Gwenyth Gray Foundation’s Bianca Morin, Casey McCormick, and Whitney Robbins.
Volunteers – Julie Chirico, Bianca Morin, Casey McCormick, and Whitney Robbins
Organization – Friends for the Charlotte and Gwenyth Gray Foundation to Cure Batten Disease
www.curebatten.ejoinme.org/naperville
Inspired by the caring determination of these women, the community of Naperville has rallied in a race against time to save the lives of two little girls whose mother grew up in Naperville.
When Casey McCormick received a phone call several months ago from her lifelong friend, Kristen Kaiser Gray, she was devastated to learn that Kristen’s daughters had just been diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare neurodegenerative brain disease that has no treatments or cure.
At first, it seemed that nothing could be done to help – until Kristen and her husband, Hollywood producer Gordon Gray, decided to establish The Charlotte and Gwenyth Gray Foundation to Cure Batten Disease. Telling medical researchers “You find the cure! We’ll find the money!” the couple reached out to their Hollywood friends and began fundraising and Batten-awareness campaigns. That is when Casey met with two other high school friends, Whitney Robbins and Bianca Morin, to find a way to raise money to help.
With the mentoring of Naperville’s First Lady Julie Chirico, the group of friends, volunteers, and community leaders are planning a benefit dinner and auction that will be held at Embassy Suites on October 3.
Naperville Bank and Trust President Tom Miers and staff helped lead the local effort, bringing community leaders together, providing meeting space for planning the upcoming benefit, arranging tables of 10 for the fundraiser, and encouraging businesses to attend and sponsor the event.
Extremely proud of the Naperville community, the women say that every door they have knocked on has been opened to them. Miers responds, “That’s what Naperville does!”
