After 60 years of volunteering with the National MS Society, Fran Itkoff was asked to resign from her position, despite having won numerous awards and dedicating her life to the non-profit organization.
Fran’s husband had multiple sclerosis and led the Lakewood/Long Beach Self-Help Group under the MS Cure Fund.
After his passing, Fran took over the leadership role of the group. She was allegedly asked to step down from her volunteer position for “failure to abide by our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion guidelines.”
Fran became confused after seeing colleagues sign their emails off with their names and preferred pronouns and asked for clarification but was met with vagueness.
The National MS Society redirected requests for comments to a February 15, 2024, press release where they stated, “Fran has been a valued member of our volunteer team for more than 60 years.”
Fran and her husband received awards for their volunteer work, and she won the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
This decision to ask Fran to resign has left many baffled, considering her long-standing commitment and contributions to the organization.
