The Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation

We can’t forget Chip Miller’s tremendous personal Corvette collection and creation of the grandest Corvette event anywhere on the planet – Corvettes at Carlisle. Chip and his close friend Bill Miller founded the incredibly successful automotive event production company, Carlisle Events, held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania.

In December 2003, Chip was diagnosed with a little-known disease called Amyloidosis. Sadly, due to complications from the disease, the world lost an incredibly special human being on March 25, 2004. Had Chip and his doctors been aware of the symptoms of the disease when they first presented, this legend might still be with us today.

Amyloidoses are rare diseases first described over 200 years ago. The disease manifests itself when amyloid proteins deposit and accumulate in the body’s organs and tissue. This accumulation may happen systemically (throughout the body) or locally (in one tissue).

Each year 3,000 cases of Amyloidosis are diagnosed in the United States. Amyloidosis is generally a disease of middle-aged people and older, although the disease has been seen in individuals in their thirties. Men are more likely to be affected than women by a ratio of about 1.5:1. Other diseases can increase the risk of Amyloidosis and family history of the disease may indicate a hereditary version. 10-15% of people with multiple myeloma develop Amyloidosis. Long-term kidney dialysis may increase the risk of dialysis-associated Amyloidosis.