( CNN ) -- When I was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis , I was told it was n't going to be a big deal . Things may change , but hopefully not much . Unfortunately , my form of the genetic disorder has caused thousands of tumors throughout my body , and pain that I never thought possible . I spent more than 180 days in a hospital room 1,000 miles from home and have had basically every plan in my life change . But through these immense trials , when I was ready to give up , when I wanted to let go , my family , my community and my doctors were there to fight for me . When I first heard what my brother Chad 's friend Brendan Hanrahan had come up with , I thought it was hilarious , and would surely get them arrested . But leave it to them to make it actually work . I mean , it is incredible really , what the Cupid 's Undie Run team has been able to do in three years . This year alone , the events raised more than $ 1.3 million for neurofibromatosis research . Who would have thought that running around in your underwear could do such good ? Seemingly every day , I am reminded how amazing and dedicated our friends are . Hanrahan , his fiancee , Tamara Forys , and Bobby Gill , to name just a few , take hours and hours of their spare time to make this race work . They get nothing in return , other than the joy of seeing a good idea make a difference in people 's lives . I 'm just lucky to be one of those people . Since my brother joined the Children 's Tumor Foundation to raise money for research and increase awareness of neurofibromatosis , I have been prescribed the off-label use of a cancer drug to shrink my tumors , and the results have been nothing short of miraculous . Cupid 's Undie Run : Benefiting the Children 's Tumor Foundation sans pants . I have gone from being bedridden to driving , from a regiment of pain killers to almost none , and now I 'm planning to go back to school to become a math teacher . I would never have chosen to have this disorder or to fight this fight , but it does give a unique opportunity to see the best in people . This year , Cupid 's was held in 18 cities , with countless volunteers dedicating their free time . People often tell me that I 'm an `` inspiration , '' but to me , these volunteers , this team -- they are my inspiration . Neurofibromatosis is a terrible thing , but with an organization like the Children 's Tumor Foundation , and with people like those who make Cupid 's possible , I have an unwavering belief that nothing will stop us from ending this disease . The neurofibromatosis community will be forever grateful for their gift , and all I can do is say thank you .
Drew also says he has faced ` ` immense trials '' living with autism . His family and friends have founded the Cupid 's Undie Run , to raise funds . The run this year raised $ 1.3 million for autism research , Drew says .