Sharon Monsky
Encyclopedia
Sharon Monsky founded the Scleroderma Research Foundation
.
Monsky was born in Omaha, Nebraska
on October 23, 1953. She was a competitive figure skater as a teenager.
Monsky received a BA
in Economics
at Pitzer College
, where she also met her future husband Mark Scher. She received her MBA
from Stanford University
in 1980, while living in San Francisco working on the Pacific Stock Exchange.
In 1982, while working as a management consultant for McKinsey & Co. Inc., Monsky was diagnosed with scleroderma
and was told she had only two years to live. The rare disease hardens the skin and internal organs of young women of child-bearing age causing disfigurement, and is potentially fatal.
In reaction to the lack of awareness of the disease in the medical community, she went on to found the Scleroderma Research Foundation in 1987, an organization dedicated to finding a cure. According to the New York Times, "Ms. Monsky's activities generated more than $14 million for research and helped expand understanding of the disease. Money she disbursed for basic medical research on scleroderma led to the publication of scientific articles exploring potential cures. Her work also helped make scleroderma better known." Ms. Monsky applied her business expertise to successful fund-raising efforts. For example, she organized an annual fund-raiser which in 1992 combined top comedians such as Bob Saget
plus fine cuisine which drew 420 people and netted donations of $125,000.
Monsky's friend and actress Dana Delany
said "Sharon's work literally convinced researchers that there was hope in finding a cure ... Before research can begin researchers have to be convinced there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Now we know it's a solvable problem held back only by research resources." In 1996, Monsky appeared in the ABC
TV movie For Hope
alongside Delany.
After living 18 years beyond the original prognosis, Monsky died on May 11, 2002 at age 48, due to complications from the disease.
Scleroderma Research Foundation
The Scleroderma Research Foundation is a non-profit, 501 organization based in San Francisco. Its mission is to find improved therapies and a cure for scleroderma by funding research and Scleroderma Centers of Excellence, which provide multi-specialty clinical care in dedicated facilities...
.
Monsky was born in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
on October 23, 1953. She was a competitive figure skater as a teenager.
Monsky received a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Pitzer College
Pitzer College
Pitzer College is a private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont, California, a college town approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. Pitzer College is one of the Claremont Colleges....
, where she also met her future husband Mark Scher. She received her MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1980, while living in San Francisco working on the Pacific Stock Exchange.
In 1982, while working as a management consultant for McKinsey & Co. Inc., Monsky was diagnosed with scleroderma
Scleroderma
Systemic sclerosis or systemic scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease or systemic connective tissue disease that is a subtype of scleroderma.-Skin symptoms:...
and was told she had only two years to live. The rare disease hardens the skin and internal organs of young women of child-bearing age causing disfigurement, and is potentially fatal.
In reaction to the lack of awareness of the disease in the medical community, she went on to found the Scleroderma Research Foundation in 1987, an organization dedicated to finding a cure. According to the New York Times, "Ms. Monsky's activities generated more than $14 million for research and helped expand understanding of the disease. Money she disbursed for basic medical research on scleroderma led to the publication of scientific articles exploring potential cures. Her work also helped make scleroderma better known." Ms. Monsky applied her business expertise to successful fund-raising efforts. For example, she organized an annual fund-raiser which in 1992 combined top comedians such as Bob Saget
Bob Saget
Robert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
plus fine cuisine which drew 420 people and netted donations of $125,000.
Monsky's friend and actress Dana Delany
Dana Delany
Dana Welles Delany is an American film, stage, and television actress, producer, host and health activist.After various roles in the early career, Delany garnered her first leading role in 1987 in the short-lived NBC sitcom Sweet Surrender and achieved wider fame in 1988–1991 as Colleen McMurphy...
said "Sharon's work literally convinced researchers that there was hope in finding a cure ... Before research can begin researchers have to be convinced there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Now we know it's a solvable problem held back only by research resources." In 1996, Monsky appeared in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV movie For Hope
For Hope
For Hope is a 1996 ABC TV movie starring Dana Delany and directed by Bob Saget. Based on Saget's sister Gay, the movie showed the experience of a young woman fatally afflicted with the disease scleroderma...
alongside Delany.
After living 18 years beyond the original prognosis, Monsky died on May 11, 2002 at age 48, due to complications from the disease.