The Omni Oklahoma City Hotel came alive on Saturday, June 13, 2026, as more than 400 guests from across the globe gathered for the 9th Annual Cure FA Soirée. Hosted by the Gehr family in partnership with FARA, this inspiring evening of connection and celebration raised vital funds for Friedreich’s ataxia research while deepening the bonds of a resilient global community.
The weekend’s spirit began building early. One attendee who traveled all the way from Canada shared her experience:
“I flew from Manitoba, Canada, down to Oklahoma, USA, on June 11. The travel worked out really well, with only one layover and absolutely no delays or setbacks. Thursday evening brought a few warm greetings. Liz Gehr handed me a helpful directory of all 50 patients, complete with basic information and contact details (with consent) so we could stay in touch.
Friday was packed with activities and wrapped up with a dinner where 130 people gathered at a nearby hotel banquet room for a simple, heartfelt meal that Michael Gehr had put together. Saturday featured a wonderful 4.5-hour reception filled with family-centric moments and an inspiring panel discussion. Afterward, most of us headed back to our hotels to rest and prepare for the main event.
The 9th Annual Soirée was an incredible evening of celebration. This event added $620,000 to the $2M the event has already raised over the last 8 years towards Friedreich’s ataxia research.
On Sunday we enjoyed a couple more meetups, bittersweet with ‘until next time’ goodbyes. I flew home on June 15, already marking June 5, 2027, in my calendar for the 10th Annual Cure FA Soirée.”
— Brittany Sommerfield
On Friday we made our way to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. After a short wait, the group gathered in the shade of the Survivor Tree, where the federal building once stood. That quiet moment became the first real spark of family coming together. Then, as a community no stranger to tragedy, we walked through the memorial honoring the events of the Oklahoma City bombing. It was a profoundly moving experience that set a tone of shared strength and remembrance.
Early the next morning, the dedicated FARA team hosted the Oklahoma City FA Research Reception at the Omni. Held downstairs for easy access, the session delivered valuable updates on clinical management, the rapidly advancing drug pipeline, advocacy initiatives, and meaningful ways to stay involved in the fight for a cure.
Then came the night the community had gathered for. For the ninth year in a row, the Cure FA Soirée brought together hundreds of people living with FA or deeply affected by it. For one special evening, protective barriers were lowered and cautionary instincts were set aside. The constant calculations that often shape daily life with FA — Will I have the energy? Will my speech be clear enough to be understood? Is the space truly accessible? How will I get there and back safely? — paused, replaced by the rare gift of simply being among 400 people who understand without explanation.
That sense of belonging is one of the Soirée’s greatest gifts. When more than 50 people with FA gather in one room, it creates one of the largest such gatherings in the world. The psychological impact is every bit as significant as the financial one. It stands as a powerful antidote to the isolation that can accompany a progressive condition.
This year’s Soirée raised over $620,000 for Friedreich’s ataxia research. Today, that total represents far more than a donation. It is a meaningful investment in a future that once felt distant but is now closer than ever before.
The Cure FA Soirée has grown into something extraordinary since the Gehr family first hosted it in Oklahoma City in 2018 as a gathering of a couple hundred people. What began as a small, determined effort has become a global tradition at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel. Michael Gehr, diagnosed in 2016, refused to sit by and do nothing. He now lives independently in the city, co-leads FA Hangouts, and continues to help shape this event — a beautiful full-circle story of hope in action.
The Gehr family and FARA have built a living bridge that turns community grief and determination into scientific progress and human connection. Year after year, the soirée proves what is possible when people refuse to accept “no cure” as the final word.
So what is the Cure FA Soirée?
It’s love.
And there was no shortage of it in Oklahoma City.
Written by
Sam Dupre and Brittany Sommerfield
