While she has long believed in contributing generously
to worthwhile organizations and programs dedicated
to improving life for the disabled, she also
looks for innovative ways in which to do it.
In 1991, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by founding
WOW (Winners on Wheels) – a scouting program
for children with disabilities.
More recently, she helped establish the nonprofit
organization Discovery Through Design with co-founders
Wendy Crawford, Julia Stockton-Dorsett and Ashley
Lauren Fisher – all successful, inspirational
women who, like Marilyn, aren’t letting
their wheelchairs get in the way of their thriving
careers and rewarding lives.
Discovery Through Design exists to bring awareness
and funds to spinal cord injury research and
paralyzed women’s health issues, while
at the same time demonstrating that women in
wheelchairs can be fun, fashionable and forward-thinking.
Taking high fashion where it’s never gone
before, Marilyn and her Discovery Through Design
partners organized a first-of-its-kind event
called the Rolling With Style Gala – a
full-scale runway fashion fundraising event held
during Fashion Week, 2007, at New York City’s
posh Cipriani at 42nd Street. The Rolling With
Style Gala featured four dynamic women in wheelchairs
(“roll models”) selected in a nationwide
search, each partnered with a world-renowned
fashion designer, including Baby Phat by Kimora
Lee Simmons, Lloyd Klein, Nicole Miller, St.
John and others. Each designer created a one-of-a-kind
fashion concept for his/her roll model and her
Quickie wheelchair.
At Marilyn’s request, Emmy-winning journalist
Lesley Stahl agreed to emcee the event. The two
have been friends since 1998 when Lesley interviewed
Marilyn for a story on 60 Minutes. In addition
to celebrating the beauty, style and drive of
women in wheelchairs, the Rolling With Style
Gala raised over $750,000 for disabled women’s
health issues and spinal cord injury research.
