The Helmsley Charitable Trust

In 2022, Helmsley and Americares launched a 3-year program to improve the health of women and children in the Ashanti and Bono regions of Ghana. With the local Ghanaian nonprofit Women’s Health to Wealth as a key partner, the project is operating across multiple sites, including schools and clinics. The program has established: ▶️ School-Based Girls’ Clubs: Across 50 health-focused clubs, adolescent girls engage in learning and empowerment sessions to enhance their sexual and reproductive health knowledge. ▶️ Well-Woman Clinics: 13 clinics now offer screening and referrals for sexually transmitted diseases. ▶️ Essential Newborn Care Program: Health care providers at over 100 sites are now trained in neonatal resuscitation and newborn care. ▶️ Supply-Chain Management Support: Resource support to facilitate the efficient distribution of medicines and supplies to health centers. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/edsNynA6

Thank you again to everyone who participated at our symposium on “Understanding and Preventing Hypoglycemia in Diabetes”, held at #EASD2024! Our speakers covered topics ranging from disrupted alpha cell function, dysregulation in alpha and delta cells, and advancements in therapies currently in clinical trial. If you were unable to attend our meeting, Close Concerns has covered highlights from each day of EASD. Read more about their insights from our event through their free publication Closer Look: https://bit.ly/3zbmatX #Hypoglycemia #Type1Diabetes #Type2Diabetes #T1D #T2D #AlphaCells #BetaCells #Glucagon

Multimillion dollar funding boost for our world-first Crohn’s treatment research! We’re excited to share that the Bionics Institute has been awarded AUD$4.8 million (USD$3.2 million) by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (USA) to fund research into the development of a world-first, personalised, electrical treatment for Crohn’s disease. Led by Professor James Fallon and Associate Professor Sophie Payne, our researchers will upgrade a Bionics Institute vagus nerve stimulation device, currently in clinical trials for treating Crohn’s disease, into an intelligent device that monitors inflammation and adjusts therapeutic stimulation in real time. “The current version of this device is programmed to give three hours of electrical stimulation per day with the intention of keeping patients with Crohn’s disease in remission. We aim to design a new version of the device that stimulates the nerve only when inflammation is detected – essentially delivering personalised therapy,” Professor Fallon explains. Dr Jessica Langer, Program Officer from The Helmsley Charitable Trust, says: “Current treatment options are insufficient to meet the needs of people with Crohn’s disease, and are often only effective in a subset of patients or lose efficacy over time. That’s why we are excited to support this novel, adaptive treatment approach, which holds promise to improve the lives of people with Crohn’s disease.” Read more about this impactful grant on our website: https://lnkd.in/gt3Ya7v5 #crohnsdisease #bionics #medicalresearch #bioengineering #vagusnerve

All over the U.S., indigenous people are overrepresented in prison, probation, and parole. In North Dakota, Southcentral Foundation is offering a culturally-based therapeutic community for American Indians to support successful re-entry. Helmsley Trustee Walter Panzirer spoke today at the opening ceremony for the Akisni Warrior Lodge, a program that builds and heals relationships through training intensives and learning circles. We support the Southcentral Foundation and their collaboration with the James River Correctional Center and FS Project to reduce prison recidivism through culturally relevant programming. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ez9KYY2v

This #WorldHeartDay, we want to highlight the importance of cardiac care for patients in rural communities. Timing is crucial after a cardiac arrest; every second counts. Through our AED initiative, we aim to place #AEDs in every law enforcement vehicle across eight states, as police officers can often arrive first to the scene in rural areas. We also support #ECMO initiatives, including the first-in-the-world ECMO truck, to ensure that patients are able to receive innovative and life-saving care, no matter where they call home. Learn more about our Rural Healthcare Program: https://lnkd.in/ebCDkpfx

New York City's trees are a treasure for city residents, and not just because they provide shade. We must expand and protect the urban forest to address critical issues like stormwater runoff, air quality, and heat. Trees are an essential part of our physical and emotional health, especially in cities, where nature isn't so readily available. That's why we support increased and more equitable access to green spaces throughout the city. The Forest for All NYC coalition, which created the Urban Forest Agenda, aims to increase the benefits of trees in underserved areas of New York. Learn more about the importance of trees in New York City and the Urban Forest Agenda: https://lnkd.in/eNvTfscN #climateweeknyc

Today we announced our newest collaboration with the American Heart Association to improve stroke care throughout Minnesota. Our grant will support stroke literacy for those with limited English proficiency, translating stroke awareness materials into multiple different languages. Additionally, this grant will implement post-acute stroke standards throughout the state to help close gaps that separate those in rural areas from Minnesota's urban centers. Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States and continues to be a leading cause of disability. To save lives and reduce the impact of stroke, it is essential that everyone know the signs and receive high quality treatment as quickly as possible. This grant marks over $90.9 million committed by Helmsley to the American Heart Association. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dutXfehQ

Endocrinologists are experts on the complexities of type 1 diabetes (T1D), but a shortage of these specialists means many people with T1D seek care from their primary care providers (PCPs). With support from Helmsley, Drs. Sean and Tamara Oser have developed tools to train PCPs in the standard of care for diabetes, like using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to get real-time blood sugar updates. CGMs help people with T1D make informed decisions throughout the day about insulin administration and diet, which can significantly improve quality of life. Helmsley is committed to broadening the availability of T1D-informed providers so that people with T1D can receive quality care no matter where they live. To read more about this topic: https://lnkd.in/dBvdeTeU #Type1Diabetes #T1D #CGMs

The Ocean Cleanup's Founder and CEO Boyan Slat and Project Design Specialist Fedde Poppenk, along with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii's Executive Director Rafael Bergstrom, and Kevin O'Brien, founder of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project, Inc joined us to discuss the impacts of plastic pollution in the ocean. Ocean plastic breaks down into microplastic, which is absorbed into the food chain, impacting the health of marine and human life. Recent studies show that humans are consuming these microplastics, resulting in detrimental effects on organ function. The Ocean Cleanup catches macro plastics and collaborates to recycle the product before it enters the food web. "We have one shot to take care of our ocean, to take care of our environment, and it's not just for us, it's for our children and our children's children," said Walter Panzirer, Helmsley Trustee. Learn more about the need for this grant: https://bit.ly/4gAoPhA #climateweeknyc

It is essential to consider intersectionality when grantmaking. Since 2008, the goal of our Rural Healthcare Program has been to ensure that every person has access to high quality healthcare, regardless of their zip code. Rural communities were not receiving the same level of support as their urban counterparts, despite having unique difficulties in accessing healthcare. Recent research on LGBTQ+ grantmaking has revealed a similar disparity between the amount of financial support received to percentage of the population. Just as we set out to help close the gap for rural grantmaking 16 years ago, we want to help close the gap in support for LGBTQ+ folks today. Through a recent grant to The Trevor Project, we hope to support people who sit at the intersection of these two underrepresented groups in philanthropy — rural Americans and LGBTQ+ youth. Intersectionality must be a part of grantmaking, and we hope other philanthropies will join us as we work to end LGBTQ+ youth suicide. Helmsley Trustee Walter Panzirer recently wrote an op-ed for the Las Vegas Sun about our decision to partner with The Trevor Project and the importance of intersectional grantmaking: https://bit.ly/3XOQgNb #SuicidePreventionAwarenessMonth