POSTED ON October 12, 2020 BY support@nerder.com

WHAM Announces $100,000 from BrightFocus Foundation to Support Women’s Brain Health Research

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Madeleine Smith, 202-757-0811, madeleinesmith@rational360.com

Greenwich, CT (October 13, 2020) – The WHAM! (Women’s Health Access Matters!) Investigators Fund today announced $100,000 in support from BrightFocus Foundation for sex and gender-specific research to advance women’s brain health. The WHAM! Investigator’s Fund is addressing the huge gap in research that focuses on women’s health by providing critical private funding to sex- and gender-based studies for diseases that disproportionately affect women. WHAM! will leverage this funding in consultation with its scientific advisors and research collaborative to advance new research focused on women and Alzheimer’s.

“The data on disparities between men and women in Alzheimer’s disease is astonishing,” said Carolee Lee, founder and CEO of WHAM! “Of the 5.7 million people in America living with Alzheimer’s disease, two thirds are women. Additionally, a woman’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is two times that of a man, and not just because women live longer. Investing in research that examines the root causes of these disparities brings us one step closer to understanding Alzheimer’s disease in both men and women. We are grateful to BrightFocus for their generous contribution and strong leadership.”

“We are proud to partner with WHAM! to support research seeking an answer to the question of why women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease,” said BrightFocus President and CEO Stacy Pagos Haller. “Now more than ever, the need for bold, innovative science is abundantly clear. Working together with WHAM!, we can better the quality of life for women now and for future generations.”

Through strategic funding of sex- and gender-based research in four clinical focus areas – brain health, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer – WHAM! invests in the forefront of clinical and technological developments that will lead to precision medicine for everyone. Since its founding in 2018, WHAM! has funded three innovative studies. Dr. Michelle O’Donoghue from the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard University received funding for her work to build a new cardiovascular risk algorithm that accurately reflects risks for women. Dr. Hilary Blumberg from the Blumberg Lab at Yale University received a grant to examine whether sleep improvements in women lead to lower Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) risk biomarkers. Dr. Nicole Woitowich from Northwestern University recently received WHAM! funding to quantify the number of COVID-19 research studies that include both men and women and analyze findings through sex and gender.

About WHAM!
WHAM! is a donor-funded, non-profit organization, dedicated to improving and elevating the health of women to 21st century standards by showcasing the economic imperative of women’s health research in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. WHAM! aims to expand the scientific and clinical knowledge about health conditions that occur exclusively, predominantly and differentially in women and to translate these findings into solutions that optimize women’s health. In collaboration with the RAND Corporation, WHAM! is releasing a detailed study to examine the economic consequences of the disparity in women’s health research. WHAM! has four disease focus areas: autoimmune disease, brain health, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Additional information can be found at https://whamnow.org/.

About BrightFocus
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier source of private research funding to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. The organization currently manages a global portfolio of over 220 projects, including 133 Alzheimer’s projects, a nearly $50 million investment in the bold science that will find the cures for diseases of mind and sight. We share the latest research findings and best practices to empower families impacted by these diseases. Learn more at https://www.brightfocus.org/.

###

WHAM is dedicated to funding women’s health research and investment to transform women’s lives.

LEARN MORE

WHAM was created in response to the considerable funding gap, historical exclusion, and underrepresentation of women in health research.

CONTACT US

Marianne Foss-Skiftesvik
Chief of Staff & Strategic Partnerships
marianne@whamnow.org

Address
19 East Elm St
Greenwich CT 06830

Phone

914-645-5264

Sign up for our newsletter

The latest news from WHAM, including new initiatives, events, invitations and more. By clicking sign up, you agree to receive emails from WHAM.

TAKE ACTION

Make a donation, join the community, or help us spread the word about WHAM and our work—every little bit helps, and we are deeply appreciative of your support.

Donate

Your financial support enables us to keep working to improve medical research and women’s health.
DONATE NOW

Get the Report

Download the latest WHAM Report study on gender bias and how it impacts women, their families and the economy.
DOWNLOAD REPORT

Connect With Us

Join the WHAM community on social media to stay connected, informed and involved.

Tell the World

A collection of graphics you can share online so people understand this issue and its effects.
See and Share

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

The latest news from WHAM, including new initiatives, events, invitations and more.
By clicking sign up, you agree to receive emails from WHAM

Donate to Women's Health Research


Women are 51% of the population but receive only a fraction of biomedical research funding. Sex differences are still often ignored, even in diseases that hit women hardest. Advancing sex-based research closes that gap, sparks innovation, and delivers more precise care for everyone. Support the future of health—for women, and for all.

Placeholder
$
Personal Info

Billing Details

Donate quickly and securely with Stripe

How it works: A Stripe window will open after you click the Donate Now button where you can securely make your donation. You will then be brought back to this page to view your receipt.

WHAM

1.00
Donation Form – Women’s Health Research

Donation Total: $100.00 One Time

This will close in 0 seconds

Donate to Autoimmune Disease Research


Four out of five Americans with autoimmune disease are women—40 million lives impacted—yet the science hasn’t kept up. In 2019, only 7 % of the NIH’s rheumatoid arthritis budget focused on women. Dedicated funding can pinpoint why women are so vulnerable and drive better diagnostics, therapies, and quality of life. Fuel research that will change lives.

Placeholder
$
Personal Info

Billing Details

Donate quickly and securely with Stripe

How it works: A Stripe window will open after you click the Donate Now button where you can securely make your donation. You will then be brought back to this page to view your receipt.

WHAM

1.00
Donation Form – Autoimmune Disease

Donation Total: $100.00 One Time

This will close in 0 seconds

Donate to Brain Health Research


Women make up two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases and are twice as likely to suffer depression—yet we still don’t know why. Targeted, sex-specific studies can reveal the biological and clinical differences that unlock earlier diagnosis, smarter treatments, and healthier minds. Your gift drives that discovery.

Placeholder
$
Personal Info

Billing Details

Donate quickly and securely with Stripe

How it works: A Stripe window will open after you click the Donate Now button where you can securely make your donation. You will then be brought back to this page to view your receipt.

WHAM

1.00
Donation Form – Brain Health

Donation Total: $100.00 One Time

This will close in 0 seconds

Donate to Cancer Research


Most cancer studies still default to male models, overlooking critical sex differences in how cancers start, spread, and respond to therapy. Lung cancer now kills more women than breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers combined, and rates are soaring among young, non-smoking women. Boosting sex-based cancer research will reveal why—and lead to breakthroughs in screening, care, and survival. Help us accelerate that work.

Placeholder
$
Personal Info

Billing Details

Donate quickly and securely with Stripe

How it works: A Stripe window will open after you click the Donate Now button where you can securely make your donation. You will then be brought back to this page to view your receipt.

WHAM

1.00
Donation Form – Cancer Research

Donation Total: $100.00 One Time

This will close in 0 seconds

Donate to Heart Health Research


Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, but it remains underfunded, under-researched, and underdiagnosed. Nearly half of women over 20 have cardiovascular disease, pregnancy heart risks are widespread, and women are 50% more likely to die after a heart attack. Focused research can rewrite those odds—changing how heart disease is detected, treated, and prevented in women. Invest in saving women’s hearts.

Placeholder
$
Personal Info

Billing Details

Donate quickly and securely with Stripe

How it works: A Stripe window will open after you click the Donate Now button where you can securely make your donation. You will then be brought back to this page to view your receipt.

WHAM

1.00
Donation Form – Women’s Heart Health

Donation Total: $100.00 One Time

This will close in 0 seconds