Vision Dinner Aims to Accelerate Hydrocephalus Research
The Hydrocephalus Association’s Third Annual Vision Dinner was held on October 15, 2015, in New York City at the JW Marriott Essex House New York. The dinner is a five-year campaign launched in October 2013 to raise national awareness about hydrocephalus and, ultimately, find a cure for the condition. The campaign brings together existing and prospective members of the hydrocephalus community – patients and their families, clinicians, researchers, scientists, philanthropists, business leaders and advocates – to share information, spotlight progress and chart a course for the future.
The focus of this year’s Vision Dinner was the Hydrocephalus Association Network for Discovery Science (HANDS). HANDS is a dynamic virtual laboratory that connects scientists and clinicians with each other and with state-of-the-art resources and data from top institutions. HANDS is how modern science works best, facilitating collaboration among world class scientists and resources to rapidly tackle new ideas and execute innovative research. The goal for this year’s dinner was to raise of $500,000 to support the launch of HANDS and we are proud to announce that we have exceeded this goal! We are thankful to our Partners in Research and donors who made this possible.
Jerold Chun, MD, PhD, professor at Scripps Research Institute, served as the keynote speaker. He shared the current research being pursued to end hydrocephalus in babies that develop the condition as a result from a brain bleed. Dr. Chun reinforced the importance and limitless possibilities now achievable through HANDS. The evening also featured the meritorious grants awarded to seven HANDS researchers who are dedicated to finding a cure and improving the lives of people who suffer from hydrocephalus. Grant awardees had the opportunity to display their research at the Vision Dinner and engage directly with attendees.
Three individuals were honored for their tireless dedication to the elimination of the challenges of hydrocephalus through their affiliation with the Hydrocephalus Association. Kathryn “Kate” Finlayson posthumously received the Inspiration Award. Her mother, Pam Finlayson, accepted the award in her honor and shared her daughter’s moving journey and passion for pursuing hydrocephalus research. James “Pat” McAllister, II, PhD, Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Washington University and the Saint Louis Children’s Hospital, received the Service Award, and Dr. Story Landis, PhD, former director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), received the Leadership Award.
The Hydrocephalus Association would like to thank Craig and Vicki Brown for their leadership and generosity in hosting this extraordinary evening to raise the profile of hydrocephalus and the important work of the Hydrocephalus Association for our entire community. For more information on how you can support our new HANDS initiative please e-mail hope@hydroassoc.org.
Read about the Hydrocephalus Association Research Initiative
Vision Dinner Partners in Research
FOUNDING PARTNER : TEAM HYDRO / KATE FINLAYSON FUND FOR HYDROCEPHALUS RESEARCH
The Grant and Pam Finlayson family, our Founding Partner in Research, have generously donated substantial funds through Team Hydro in support of four meritorious seed grant proposals that are part of the launch of the HANDS initiative. Team Hydro inspires thousands to get in the water and swim in support of hydrocephalus awareness and research. The Finlayson Family’s support is in loving memory of their daughter, Kate, who lost her life to hydrocephalus in 2010.
BENEFACTOR | $25,000 and above
Roy and Merilee Bostock
Craig and Vicki Brown
Richard H. Goldman Foundation
Paul H. Gross and Lori Poliski
Jennifer and Jonathan Soros Foundation
PATRON | $15,000 and above
Davis and Gilbert, LLC
Merrill Lynch
Morgan Stanley