Team Hydro’s Commitment to Curing Hydrocephalus Receives National Attention
The Hydrocephalus Association was founded by Emily and Russell Fudge and Cynthia Solomon. Each were parents to a son with hydrocephalus. The power of their love, the frustration over the treatment options, and the need for information and answers united them to create what has become the largest and most established patient advocacy organization dedicated to hydrocephalus, the Hydrocephalus Association (HA). In 2008, a similar need for answers and, in this case, a movement toward preventions and cures, spurred Pam Finlayson, with her two sons, Sam and Peter, to form Team Hydro, inspired by their daughter and sister, Kate’s, love of swimming. Team Hydro serves as a tribute to Kate, who lost her life to hydrocephalus in 2010. The team inspires thousands to get in the water and swim in support of hydrocephalus awareness and research in open-water events like the annual San Francisco and Boston Sharkfests® as well as through other swimming-related events. On September 12, 2016, Forbes contributor Barron Lerner explores the motivation behind forming Team Hydro and highlights its success in raising funds to support critical research into the root causes and possible preventions and cures for hydrocephalus.
Now in it’s ninth year, Team Hydro has raised $546,335 for hydrocephalus research. Funds from Team Hydro have supported HA-sponsored research studies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) regulation and new therapies for post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, among others. Last year the Grant and Pam Finlayson family, our Founding Partner in Research, generously donated substantial funds through Team Hydro in support of four meritorious seed grant proposals that are part of the launch of the Hydrocephalus Association Network for Discovery Science (HANDS). HANDS is a virtual lab that promotes communication and collaboration among hydrocephalus basic and translational researchers with a focus on mentorship, innovation, and shared infrastructure to support high quality, high impact research. HANDS completes the Hydrocephalus Association research pipeline, as the basic science network looking into root causes of hydrocephalus now joins the two established clinical networks, the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) and the Adult Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (AHCRN), working directly with the patient population.
The impact of Team Hydro on propelling hydrocephalus research forward is inspirational. The Hydrocephalus Association is grateful to Grant, Pam, Peter and Sam for their continued commitment to raising awareness and critical funds to support research through Team Hydro.
Click here to learn more about Team Hydro or join the team on a swim.
Click here to read the Forbes article, How One Family Is Bringing Attention To Hydrocephalus.