In its first year of offering a grant to continue research on fetal syndromes, the Fetal Health Foundation communicated with nearly 20 specialized fetal centers around the country. 

After much consideration, the Grant Advisory Board for the Foundation will award $25,000 to the research team led by Vidya Rajagopalan, PhD. at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles to further study the impact of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) on fetal brain development.

“We are honored to receive this grant, especially in today’s environment of cutbacks in NIH funding which makes philanthropic seed funding such as this even more vital to our success. This generous support will fund a research project to answer an important question that is right in line with the Foundation’s mission to save babies’ lives,” said Vidya Rajagopalan, Research Associate with the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. “Our study will provide important data for improving the treatment of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, which is the number one problem for multiple fetus pregnancies. We deeply appreciate the hard work of the Fetal Health Foundation to make this support available, and we look forward to sharing our results and next steps.”

The Nathanael & Gabriel Stowell Research Grant, funded in part by the Fetal Health Foundation, is to improve health outcomes for pregnancies and infants affected by fetal syndromes. By stimulating and supporting interdisciplinary research from within the maternal/fetal medicine field focused on pregnancy and treatment(s) of any one of a number of fetal syndromes, the Research Grant will subsequently improve successful fetal development and the overall health of the newborn(s).

The grant is made possible in part by our Eat Run Hope event, the annual fundraising event with the Fetal Health Foundation. “After the loss of our twins, we were moved to not only create a legacy for our boys, but to offer hope to other families diagnosed with fetal diseases. After two very successful years of fundraising through Eat Run Hope, we wanted to increase our support efforts and really affect change for families by helping to advance fetal medicine research,” said Angela Stowell, Co-Director of Eat Run Hope.

Stowell said, “Sadly, our sons could not be saved by medical intervention, but I am comforted knowing that the research performed as a result of the Nathanael and Gabriel Stowell Research Grant will change the lives of children and families across the country and beyond for years to come.”

“After nearly 10 years in existence, we are very excited as a foundation to be in a position to fund important research in advancing the outcomes of TTTS, as well as making an impact in the future around the treatment of fetal syndromes,” said CEO and Founder of Fetal Health, Lonnie Somers. “ Being a grass roots organization, this is really a very historic time for us in our mission.”

The Fetal Health Foundation is a national non-profit organization that is a leading resource for supporting, fighting and ending fetal syndromes. The organization serves as a liaison between families affected and the many fetal treatment centers around the country providing groundbreaking care. For more information on the Nathanael & Gabriel Stowell Research Grant or the Foundation, please contact Talitha McGuinness at talitha@fetalhealthfoundation.org or call 980-721-5799.