Founded in 1987 by Dana's friend, the late Sharon Monsky, the Scleroderma Research Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure to Scleroderma, and improving the life quality of Scleroderma patients. Dana has served on the Board of Directors since the mid 1990's. Scleroderma is a disfiguring, debilitating, and often deadly disease that currently affects approximately 300,000 Americans, and much more people worldwide.

Started in 1988, a fund raising event called Cool Comedy - Hot Cuisine, a comedy concert and dinner, is held by the SRF in L.A. and N.Y.C.
It consistently sells out, and Dana has attended these events many times.

Sharon Monsky was diagnosed with scleroderma in 1982 and was told she had only 2 years to live. In reaction to the lack of awareness of the disease in the medical community, she went on to found the Scleroderma Research Foundation in 1986. After living 18 years beyond the original prognosis, Sharon died in 2002 at 48 years of age, having contributed a great deal to the understanding and awareness of scleroderma.

Quote: "I'm in the business of finding a cure for scleroderma...and the best thing of all is that I'm in the business to go out of business."

For Hope is a TV movie which first aired on ABC in 1996, starring Dana as Hope, a school teacher who falls victim to scleroderma. The story was based on director Bob Saget's sister Gay, who died of the disease.

Dana's role involved very heavy use of prosthetics and make up, as the story showed the progress of the disease, making it a very demanding physical performance. A special additional feature is that Sharon Monsky made a cameo appearance as herself.

The video of For Hope is still available for purchase from SRF, phone: 415-834-9444

Sheryl Crow has also given of her time and talent for SRF and its events. In 2002 she recorded a wonderful hymn, Be Still My Soul, which was exclusively released on a CD single, and is now apparently no longer available.

The Multmedia Page has a video of the Lifetime Television's Speaking of Women's Health story about scleroderma from October 25, 2003.
Scleroderma was featured because women are a significant majority of those afflicted by the illness.

Images © 1987-2004 Scleroderma Research Foundation, © 2004 Sheryl Crow, © 2002, 2004 Getty Images, Inc.