Heroes in the Fight Awards Celebration

Father Stuart Long

Priest and inspiration for the film “Father Stu”
1963 – 2014
Helena, Montana

TMA is deeply honored to posthumously honor Father Stu with our highest award. Father Stuart Long was an American boxer, college football player, and agnostic who converted to Catholicism and became a priest for the Diocese of Helena, Montana, before passing away due to complications from inclusion body myositis (IBM). Father Stu was the focus of a 2022 Sony Pictures biopic, Father Stu, with Mark Wahlberg playing the lead character in an inspirational story about resilience and redemption.

The Patient Ambassador Award will be accepted by Father Bart Tolleson, author of That Was Father Stu: A Memoir of My Priestly Brother and Friend. Father Tolleson is the Director, Deacons & Deacon Formation; Director, Continuing Formation for the Clergy; and Pastor, St. John Vianney (Belgrade) & Holy Family (Three Forks) in the Diocese of Helena. In addition, he serves as the chaplain advisor to Beyond 227, which is the charitable organization Father Stu’s friends and family founded to keep Stu’s mission and work ongoing.

Father Stu’s sister, brother-in-law, and Montana parishioners will join Father Bart to remember Father Stu and celebrate his legacy at MyoCon 2026.

TMA’s Myositis Heroes in the Fight Patient Ambassador Award is annually presented to an individual that has demonstrated sustained effort and extraordinary success raising awareness of myositis diseases among the public.

Conrad “Chris” Weihl, MD, PhD

Professor of Neurology
Head of the Neuromuscular Section
Director of the Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinic
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, Missouri

The Heroes in Research Award is presented to an investigator who has demonstrated significant commitment to and progress toward improving our understanding of myositis diseases through innovative research.

Hospital for Special Surgery

Scleroderma, Vasculitis, and Myositis Center
Myositis Support Group
New York, New York

The Heroes in Healthcare Award is presented to a healthcare institution with teams of healthcare providers that excel in caring for those who live with myositis.

The award will be accepted by David R. Fernandez, MD, PhD, Rheumatologist and Suzan Fischbein, LCSW, Support Group Coordinator.

Kitty Trejo

TMA Northern California Support Group & TMA Rainbow Affinity Group
Rancho Mirage, California

The Marianne Moyer Myositis Leader Award recognizes TMA volunteers who lead the way in our myositis community by helping others. Marianne helped TMA create the Keep In Touch (KIT) groups, mentored many emerging Support and Affinity Groups, and served in leadership roles including TMA Board of Directors Chair.