Industry Teams to Help Parkinson's Research
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Fasig-Tipton, Coolmore America, and WinStar Farm have teamed up to host the “Night For A Cure” fundraising party July 10, with all proceeds going to benefit the Ann Hanley Parkinson’s Research Fund.
The event will take place from 6-10 p.m. EDT at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, two days prior to the sale company’s annual July selected yearling sale.
“What I think is incredible about the horse business is the unity that can be displayed when we come together for a cause,” said Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning. “Ann Hanley’s fund is a tremendous cause, and the research is going to make a difference to those affected by Parkinson’s disease.”
Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease that causes the breakdown or death of neurons in the brain. With no exact known cause, Parkinson’s develops gradually and causes a variety of symptoms, including muscle rigidity and tremors, as well as difficulty moving and unstable posture. An estimated one million Americans and 10 million people worldwide have the disease.
Upon diagnosis at age 50, Lexington resident Ann Hanley began to investigate different treatment options, and she has since joined a research team led by Dr. Greg Gerhardt and Dr. Craig Van Horne at the University of Kentucky that has made substantial progress in developing a new surgical technique to drastically reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease through procedures that include deep brain stimulation and nerve grafts, according to a release.
Hanley recognized the challenge of adequate funding for such research, so she set up the Ann Hanley Parkinson’s Research Fund in 2015 to ensure that the work being conducted by the research team could continue.
“Ann Hanley, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, is not only fighting the disease herself, but fighting for others as well. If we would all help support Ann's research fund, we can truly make a difference for people all over the world that are battling this terrible disease,” said WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden.
Hanley’s husband, David, has been a member of the Thoroughbred community spanning four decades and is currently the general manager at WinStar. Last November, the Ireland-based sales company Goff’s hosted a stallion season auction to benefit the Ann Hanley Parkinson’s Research Fund, raising over €150,000 through the support of the Irish and European Thoroughbred industries.
“David and Ann have been big contributors to our industry who’ve done business with virtually all of us through the years, so it is great to see the industry rallying around Ann for such a worthwhile cause,” added Dermot Ryan, manager of Coolmore America. “Dr. Craig Van Horne, Dr. Greg Gerhardt and their team have made very important progress so far, and, with our continued support, can make a lasting difference to the lives of the many people impacted by Parkinson’s.”
“Night For A Cure” will feature food, live music by The Wooks and Steve Norman and the Shades of Grass, and more.
More information available from Caroline Walsh at 859-297-1302 or cwalsh@winstarfarm.com or Amy Nave at 859-297-1329 or anave@winstarfarm.com.