Southampton 'Race Of Hope' To Fight Depression Slated For Sunday

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — An annual effort is ongoing in Southampton Village to fight the devastating impacts of depression.

Last week, the Hope for Depression Research Foundation launched the 5th annual Week of Hope, a village-wide effort in Southampton to raise mental health awareness. More than 100 businesses united to display a large, yellow "Hope" balloon in front of their doors to symbolize their commitment to advancing the conversation about mental health.

Along with the balloon display, participating stores provided special hand-outs from HDRF, with the latest information on depression in the United States and how to spot signs and symptoms, organizers said.

Newly-elected Southampton Village Mayor William Manger Jr., HDRF founder Audrey Gruss, and Executive Director Louisa Benton kicked off the campaign by placing the first Hope balloon – environmentally friendly and re-usable — in front of the Veronica Beard Southampton store, organizers of the effort said.

"I’m excited to have Mayor Manger here with us today to support our mission," said Gruss. "The Southampton community has continued to embrace this campaign year after year, bringing light to the conversations about depression that can save lives."

Next, the week culminates in the 8th Annual Southampton Race of Hope on Sunday, August 6 at 8:30 a.m. around Lake Agawam. The race attracts more than 500 participants to raise mental health awareness and fund depression research, organizers said.

The co-grand marshals of the Race of Hope are Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, who is an HDRF advisory board member and lives in East Hampton.

The teen grand marshals of the race are Grier Hammond Henchy, the 17-year-old daughter of Brooke Shields, and Hayden Lucas, an New York City high school senior and leader of the newly formed HDRF Teen Task Force.

100 percent of revenue from the race will be donated to research into the root causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments.

To sign up or learn more, click here.

The Week of Hope began in 2018 to serve as the lead-up to HDRF’s signature summer event, the Race of Hope 5K to Defeat Depression.

The Week of Hope also offers several other events to raise awareness and funds for depression research. On Friday, August 4, HDRF will host the Hope Summer Seminar "How to Talk to Friends and Family About Mental Health," with acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman at the Southampton Arts Center.

And, through August 6, the Veronica Beard store on Main Street will hold Shop for Hope . 10 percent of all purchases will go toward HDRF’s research.

The Week of Hope, in conjunction with the Race of Hope, has helped to raise more than $1 million for advanced depression research, organizers said.

HDRF was founded in 2006 by philanthropist 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," organizers said.

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 percent of patients," HDRF said.

"HDRF is working to improve the mental health landscape for every American," a release said. "The Foundation has provided more than $50 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, Columbia University, 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, organizers said.