Fernando Mendoza and Family Turn Gratitude into Impact
Top pick in the 2026 NFL draft and Miami native personally commits $500,000 to launch the Mendoza Family Fund in partnership with the National MS Society, which intends to support multiple sclerosis research in stem cell transplantation at the University of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine.
To mark the start of the exciting next chapter in his career, Miami native and 2026 NFL Draft No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza celebrated by giving back, making a transformative commitment to advance multiple sclerosis (MS) research.
Mendoza and his family announced the launch of the Mendoza Family Fund, a new partnership with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, anchored by a $500,000 gift that will eventually support MS research at UHealth — University of Miami Health System and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
The Mendoza family’s advocacy is inspired by their mother, Elsa, who lives with MS. Over the years, Mendoza and his brothers, Alberto and Max, have transformed that personal experience into action, building a national movement that has already raised more than $360,000 in support of MS research, services and awareness.
“This fund is about my mom and the millions of people living with MS,” said Fernando Mendoza. “My mom has taught our family strength, resilience and positivity. My brothers Alberto and Max, my dad and I, we have all learned from her example. She is the reason we fight and the reason we believe we can do something bigger than ourselves.”
Rooted in gratitude, love and purpose, the fund reflects the family’s deep desire to create lasting change for others facing the disease.
“We’re grateful for the support of the Mendoza Family Fund through the National MS Society,” said Dipen J. Parekh, M.D., chief executive officer of UHealth, executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Miami, founding director of the Desai Sethi Urology Institute, the Victor A. Politano Endowed Chair in Urology and the Magnier Endowed Chair in Urology. “The University of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine share their commitment to a world free of MS, and we value this opportunity to accelerate our work discovering, developing and delivering treatments for all patients.”
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the brain and spinal cord that disrupts communication within the brain and between the brain and body. Currently, there is no cure.
The fund is designated to accelerate work at the University of Miami Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, a National Multiple Sclerosis Society–affiliated program dedicated to providing comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for individuals living with multiple sclerosis while advancing research and education in this complex neurological disease.
Led by Director Flavia Nelson, M.D., professor and chief of the Miller School Department of Neurology’s Multiple Sclerosis Division and the Thomas F. Whigham-Joseph Berger Chair in Neuroimmunology, the center features advanced diagnostic and treatment resources and is at the forefront of novel treatment modalities, including stem cell transplantation for aggressive relapsing-remitting MS and for secondary progressive MS.
“Philanthropic investments like the Mendoza Family Fund allow us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in multiple sclerosis research,” said Dr. Nelson. “They accelerate innovation, open doors to new clinical trials and help us bring promising therapies to patients faster, offering real hope to individuals and families living with this disease.”
Dr. Nelson has recently been named the principal investigator on a first-of-its-kind clinical trial in the United States focused on intrathecal stem cell transplant for secondary progressive MS, an advanced stage of the disease for which treatment options are currently not available. Preceded by four successful clinical trials in Europe and Israel, the upcoming global Phase IIb trial led by Dr. Nelson will further validate the efficacy of NeuroGenesis’ NG01 cellular therapy platform for patients with secondary progressive MS.
The clinical trial, scheduled to begin in late 2026, will take place in four sites in the U.S.: the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, New York University, Harvard-Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Southern California. There will also be two sites in Israel at Hadassa Hospital, where the technology was developed, and Barzilai Medical Center.
Also supported by the National MS Society, this novel technology uses a process in which stem cells are collected from a patient’s bone marrow, manufactured in a laboratory setting and then transplanted into the spinal fluid to circulate in the brain and spinal cord, with the goal to promote regeneration and central nervous system (CNS) repair.
“There is a critical, unmet need for therapies that focus on restoring function to people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. The success of this trial will allow us to eventually make this treatment available to everyone,” said Dr. Nelson.
This trial will be done in collaboration with stem cell transplant experts from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of UHealth and South Florida’s only NCI-designated Cancer Center. Additionally, the MS Center houses an immunology and genetics laboratory in collaboration with the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, performing specialized blood tests and actively developing new methods to detect MS activity and genetic markers of the disease.
Patients at the center also have access to clinical trials exploring novel therapies that may help alter the course of MS and expand future treatment options. Education and support programs further reflect the center’s commitment to empowerment, equipping patients and families with the tools to better understand MS, manage symptoms and stay active and engaged in their communities.
What the Mendoza Family Fund Will Support
The Mendoza Family Fund, which directly supports the National MS Society, will unite all fundraising initiatives tied to the partnership, continuing to bring together contributions from the family, brand partners and supporters across the country. Through the fund, the Mendoza family will help guide funding priorities, ensuring their contributions align with the areas of greatest personal importance while enabling the society to direct support where it can make the biggest impact.
“The Mendoza family has built more than a fundraiser. They’ve built a movement rooted in love and purpose,” said Dr. Tim Coetzee, president and CEO of the National MS Society. “The Mendoza Family Fund represents the very best of what’s possible when passion meets collective action. Through this partnership, we have an opportunity to channel that momentum into critical research and programs that will change lives and help us end MS.”
A Growing Movement
The launch of the fund comes at a pivotal moment, as Mendoza prepares for an NFL career with the Las Vegas Raiders and his brother, Alberto, continues his collegiate career at Georgia Tech. Together with their brother, Max, and parents, Fernando and Elsa, and in partnership with the National MS Society, the family aims to expand their impact and inspire even greater participation in the movement to end MS.
“Partnering with the National MS Society through the Mendoza Family Fund gives us the opportunity to turn that inspiration into real impact by advancing groundbreaking research and helping families like mine navigate this disease,” said Fernando Mendoza. “Together, we can bring us closer to a cure and a future free of MS.”
Tags: Department of Neurology, Dr. Dipen Parekh, Dr. Flavia Nelson, genetics, immunology, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, MS, multiple sclerosis, neurology, philanthropy, stem cell therapies