Casey is the picture of athleticism. At 6-foot-3, he once worked as a nightclub bouncer, spends countless hours at his local gym, and even competes in grueling Ironman races.

So it is often surprising when people learn he has multiple sclerosis (MS), a central nervous system disorder that affects more than 800,000 people in the U.S. and is the most common disabling disease in young adults.

Sixteen years ago, at age 34, Mr. Casey noticed his body betraying him in small ways. He began tripping on uneven pavement and felt numbness in his arm during workouts. An MRI revealed a large lesion on his spinal cord, indicating early-stage MS.

"It's like damaged wiring in your house," Mr. Casey said. "The signal weakens, and the lights flicker. That's what MS does to your body."

Mr. Casey found the expert care he needed from Benjamin Greenberg, M.D., Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

"Seeing him changed my life's trajectory," Mr. Casey said. "He was honest and direct, which helped me feel less afraid. And now we're working to make sure that those with MS are living the best life they can."

When Dr. Greenberg first met Mr. Casey, there were only five FDA-approved MS treatments. Mr. Casey received daily injections for two years until newer and more effective medications became available. Over time, many of his MS symptoms improved. His doctors currently monitor him for symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, or vision problems as well as cognitive changes, balance disorders, and depression.

"Getting MS motivated me to get in the best shape I could be in," Mr. Casey said. "And Ironman gave me a vehicle to make that happen."

In the 15 years since Mr. Casey was first diagnosed with MS, he has competed in six full Ironman competitions (involving 140.6 miles of swimming, running, and biking) and 14 half-Ironmans (involving 70.3 miles of swimming, running, and biking). His passion for staying in shape aided Dr. Greenberg with his overall diagnosis.

"His athleticism made it easy to spot changes," said Dr. Greenberg, who also saw how physical activity helped Mr. Casey manage his symptoms. "Fitness improves brain health. We see this in dementia, Parkinson's disease, and now MS."

This is ‘the power of forever funding’

Mr. Casey belongs to what doctors call the "but you look so good" club. People often don't believe he has MS because he appears the picture of good health.

"You could sit next to him at dinner and never know," Dr. Greenberg said.

Meat Fight

Alice Laussade, Mr. Casey's sister and an award-winning Dallas food writer, launched Meat Fight, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, in 2010 originally as a casual backyard get-together with friends. But after learning of her brother's diagnosis, the event took a more serious turn when she invited local chefs to compete as a fundraiser for MS research and awareness.

Their first fundraising goal was $300. They brought in more than $2,000.

Daniel Vaughn, Texas Monthly's Barbecue Editor, invited leading pitmasters to serve as contest judges. Meat Fight quickly grew into a top-tier event with barbecue prepared by Dallas' best chefs. Local breweries donated beer, and the event transformed into a major community celebration.

The event soon outgrew Ms. Laussade's backyard, moved to larger venues, and added new contests like "Side-Show" (best barbecue side dish), "Sweet Fight" (dessert competition), and "Burger Fight" (benefiting pediatric MS research). Today more than 30 chefs, six breweries, and several drink companies participate, with all proceeds going toward MS research.

"We couldn't do this without the DFW chefs selflessly volunteering their time, energy, and money," Ms. Laussade said.

Helping UTSW in its MS fight

In 2019, Ms. Laussade approached Dr. Greenberg to direct Meat Fight donations to advance MS research at UT Southwestern. Since then, the partnership has funded a research endowment as well as an immunology study examining cells and antibodies from people with MS. The endowment - what Ms. Laussade calls "forever funding" - ensures long-term support for innovative projects.

Meat Fight's gifts are often used as seed money for early-stage pilot projects that can later garner more substantial National Institutes of Health research grants.

"That early Meat Fight funding is like the yeast allowing the dough to rise," Dr. Greenberg said. "It gets things going."

"Without Meat Fight, we would have lists of projects we'd like to do but couldn't," Dr. Greenberg said. "Alice Laussade and Jim Casey have approached MS in such an inspiring way. They are not just about raising money to support a cause. They are really invested in helping patients take back control of their health, feel empowered through being active, and not feeling that they are alone in fighting this disease. They have become true partners in the best way possible."

• Dr. Greenberg is a Cain Denius Scholar in Mobility Disorders.