Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) will host its first annual National Virtual Race of Hope to Defeat Depression on Saturday, May 14th in honor of Mental Health Awareness month, raising awareness and funds for depression research.
The National Virtual Race is a spin-off of the winter Race of Hope in Palm Beach and the summer Race of Hope in Southampton, which have raised roughly $2 million for research since their inception.
The stand-alone virtual race allows registered participants to walk or run in their hometowns, and choose their race distance: 5k, 10k, 15k, Half Marathon, or Marathon. For those who want to complete their distance at the same time as other racers across the U.S., HDRF will host an hour-long broadcast, to be live-streamed on Facebook starting at 8:15 AM EST on May 14th. The goal of the broadcast is to create a sense of community even though the race is virtual, and racers can post photos and comments on the live stream page.
The broadcast will also feature an open discussion about depression and treatment, including:
- An interview with the Chief Medical Officer of Talkspace, Dr. Varun Choudhary. Talkspace is a leading virtual behavioral healthcare provider based in New York City.
- An interview with world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Eric Nestler, Chair of HDRF’s Depression Task Force. Dr. Nestler will give an update on research progress into new, precision treatments for depression.
- Racers will dedicate their miles to someone who has been affected by depression, prompting open and honest discussion on the forum.
The cost to register is $45 and the first 500 to sign up will receive a race jacket, hat, bottle, bib, and a huge finisher medal. 100% of the funds raised will go directly to depression research. For more information or to register, visit: Virtual.RaceOfHopeSeries.com