By: Cameron Topar
On Wednesday, April 10th, Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss hosted a Shop- for-Hope event at the Veronica Beard store on Madison Avenue in New York to raise mental health awareness and money for depression research. She was joined by Shop for Hope Committee members Melissa Breitbart, Serena McKnight Bowman, Clo Cohen, Geralyn Lucas, Stacey Pashcow, Jamee Gregory, and Joanna Goldenstein.
Over 100 guests attended, browsing the latest Veronica Beard collection while sipping champagne and enjoying light bites from Amuse Bouche. Fifteen percent of all proceeds from sales were donated to HDRF’s research into new and better treatments for depression.
Veronica Beard founders Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard are passionate about giving to the community. In 2015, they founded #VBGIVESBACK as a vehicle for their corporate philanthropy. Every quarter, Veronica Beard partners with a cause that supports women, children and families, and they have given over $3.5 million to charity to date.
At the event, Audrey Gruss welcomed the guests and spoke about the HDRF-VB partnership. “HDRF is proud to partner with Veronica Beard on one of the most important issues facing our society today. In the wake of the pandemic, over a third of Americans are struggling with depression and anxiety. We are grateful to Veronica Beard for helping us bring together such a strong community of people who are interested in mental health.”
Gruss then introduced featured guest Dr. Sudhir Gadh, Medical Director for the Center for Recovery and Wellness, who spoke about emerging research and treatments for depression. His remarks were followed by a robust Q&A with the guests.
Gruss spoke about the specific research accomplishments of the HDRF-funded research. “Our Depression Task Force of top brain scientists have identified 20 genes out of the tens of thousands in the human body that are implicated in depression and anxiety. These genes point to real targets in the brain that can be treated. The next step is to take these 20 targets into human clinical trials for development. This is major progress toward a new era of depression treatment and prevention.”
Guests at the event included Janna Bullock, Allison Chaflin, Deborah Clayman, Krista Corl, Susan Gutfreund, Margo Langenberg, Lucas Tyler, and David Weinstein. Also present were several young leaders of HDRF’s Teen Race of Hope in NYC in May: Hayden Lucas, Sophia, Kathryn and Tracey Rossi, Nicole Saldana, and Ai Vy Shulman,
At the end of the remarks, Gruss announced that the Second Annual Teen Race of Hope to Defeat Depression in New York City will be on Sunday, May 19th, 2024. Proceeds from the race will fund groundbreaking research into the root causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments. To sign up or learn more, please visit the website https://www.nycteen.raceofhopeseries.com/
ABOUT HOPE FOR DEPRESSION RESEARCH FOUNDATION (HDRF)
HDRF was founded in 2006 by philanthropist Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. The mission of the HDRF is to spur the most innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders – bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet conventional medications today are outdated and do not fully work for 50% of patients. HDRF is working tirelessly to improve the mental health landscape for every American. The Foundation has provided more than $75 million through over 200 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented. Currently, HDRF has a potential new class of medication in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Stanford University. HDRF is also funding clinical trials into other novel therapeutics and diagnostic tests at Johns Hopkins, University of San Diego, and the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Published by: Martin De Juan
