For the third year in a row, Cure Crew member Molly S. is dedicating her two-night concert, “Dumb Diseases,” to the SRF in honor of her best friend who lives with scleroderma, Jess M.
“I do this event because my best friend Jess has been fighting this disease for as long as I’ve known her and way before that,” Molly says. “She is absolutely the strongest person I know. Her sense of humor and love of life is incredible.”
Molly’s understanding of the disease has grown alongside their friendship. “I admit I hadn’t really been familiar with even the word scleroderma when I met Jess,” she says. “When I first got to know her, it wasn’t something she talked about much. She didn’t want her identity to be about this disease.”
But as Jess has opened up more publicly about living with scleroderma, Molly has seen the power of awareness firsthand. “Doing the concert each year is a drop in the bucket financially, but it feels important to not only raise money but also to get the word out that it is a rare disease and severely underfunded in research,” she explains. “I want her to feel seen as much as anyone fighting a more known disease.”
Even though the show is rooted in comedy, its heart is deeply personal. “Two years ago, I had a blow-up doll with a wig and a picture of her face,” Molly says. “I stole one of her favorite dresses to put on the doll and did my ‘Scleroderma Talk’ while holding her. She was crying—but only from laughter.”
Through humor, music, and unwavering friendship, Molly continues to put a spotlight on scleroderma—raising awareness, building community, and helping ensure Jess and others living with scleroderma feel seen and supported. Learn more about how you can make a difference in advancing scleroderma research through the SRF Cure Crew at the link below.
