SOUTHAMPTON, NY — An annual effort continues in Southampton Village to combat the devastating effects of depression.
Last week Hope for Depression Research Foundation launched its 5th annual Hope Week, a village-wide effort in Southampton to raise awareness of mental health. More than 100 businesses joined together to display a large, yellow 'Hope' balloon outside their doors to symbolize their commitment to promoting the conversation about mental health.
Along with the balloon display, participating stores provided special brochures from HDRF, with the latest information on depression in the United States and how to spot signs and symptoms, organizers said.
Southampton Village Mayor-elect William Munger Jr., HDRF founder Audrey Gruss and executive director Louisa Benton kicked off the campaign by placing the first Hope balloon — eco-friendly and reusable — in front of the Veronica Beard Southampton store, organizers said. effort.
“I am thrilled to have Mayor Manger here with us today to support our mission,” Gruss said. “The Southampton community has continued to embrace this campaign year after year, shining a light on the life-saving conversations about depression.”
The week then culminates with Southampton's 8th Annual Race for Hope on Sunday, August 6 at 8:30am. around Lake Agawam. The race attracts more than 500 participants to raise awareness for mental health and fund depression research, organizers said.
Race of Hope co-grand judges are Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, who is on the HDRF advisory board and lives in East Hampton.
The contest's teen grand judges are Grier Hammond Henchy, the 17-year-old daughter of Brooke Shields, and Hayden Lucas, a New York City high school senior and captain of the newly formed HDRF Teen Team.
100 percent of the proceeds from the race will go towards research into the root causes of depression in the brain and into new and better treatments.
To register or learn more, click here.
Hope Week began in 2018 to serve as the lead-up to HDRF's signature summer event, the Race of Hope 5K to Defeat Depression.
Hope Week also offers many other events to raise awareness and resources for depression research. On Friday, August 4, TAIPED will host the Hope Summer Seminar “How to talk to friends and family about mental health”, with renowned psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman at Southampton Arts Centre.
And, through August 6, the Veronica Beard store on Main Street will host Shop for Hope . 10 percent of all purchases will go towards TAIPED research.
Hope Week, in conjunction with the Race for Hope, has helped raise more than $1 million for advanced depression research, organizers said.
TAIPED was founded in 2006 by philanthropist Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression.
“The mission of the EDPS is to encourage the most innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments and prevention of depression and related mood disorders — bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder and suicide,” the organizers said.
The World Health Organization has declared depression to be the leading cause of disability worldwide, “yet conventional medicines today are outdated and do not work fully in 50 percent of patients,” the HDRF said.
“TAIPED works to improve the mental health landscape for every American,” a release said. “The Foundation has provided more than $50 million through 200 grants for groundbreaking depression research that promises to change the way depression is treated, diagnosed, treated and prevented.”
HDRF currently has a potential new class of drugs in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Columbia University, and Stanford University. The HDRF is also funding clinical trials of other new therapeutics and diagnostic tests at Johns Hopkins, the University of San Diego and the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, organizers said.
