Row for Hemophilia

By Amy Bretherton, Director of Marketing & Communications

Watch the Row for Hemophilia story: View Here​

If you think Row for Hemophilia sounds like a nice little fundraising event taking place at a local fitness center, you may be surprised to learn that it is actually a 2,400 mile unassisted row across the Pacific Ocean to raise money for Hemophilia of Georgia.

Who would be adventurous and determined enough to take on such a formidable challenge? Two University of Georgia students, Jacob and Chris, who are on the rowing team and have a connection to hemophilia and to HoG are planning this ocean row. They currently are in the process of raising the necessary funds to compete in The Great Pacific Race in June 2016. While that may sound like a long way off, they have their work cut out for them – they’ve got until December of this year to raise the funds to cover their costs.

Hemophilia advocacy and treatment is a cause close to Jacob and Chris’ hearts. Jacob was born with hemophilia B and has first-hand experience with the disorder and with HoG.  He is passionate about health and lives as active a lifestyle as he can within the bounds of his hemophilia. A management information systems student, he plans to do medical consultancy and nonprofit work. Last summer, Jacob interned at Emory’s Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center with Dr. Shannon Meeks.  He is a John Youtsey Memorial Scholarship recipient, attended Camp Wannaklot and has volunteered at Trot to Clot events.

Chris studies genetics at UGA and is fascinated by genetic disorders such as hemophilia. He is a pre-medical student in his third year. The two met on the rowing team and have been close friends ever since. Together, they hope to bring awareness and provide support to organizations such as Hemophilia of Georgia. They both share a drive to push their own limits and a desire to make a real difference in the community. The idea for Row for Hemophilia came about because they wanted to have an extraordinary adventure that could impact others as well as themselves.

Typical crossings take between 30-80 days for the 2,400 mile journey. The length of time varies due to wind, storms and currents. Jacob and Chris anticipate completing the journey in 45 days due to their rowing experience and technical training. Their goal is to complete 50-55 miles each day, split up in shifts, rowing both separately and together. The boat they plan to purchase with the money raised will be between 27-29 feet long and will have two cabins, one for sleeping and one for food and equipment. The boat will be equipped with GPS and autopilot to help them stay on course. It will also contain emergency equipment, tools, a repair kit, a Wi-Fi hub and a satellite phone.

Jacob and Chris will need to consume 10,000 calories daily, most of it coming from dehydrated backpacking style meals. Water will come from an onboard water-maker capable of desalinating up to 8 gallons per hour. They’ll also have a hand-held water pump and bottled reserves that act as ballasts in the unlikely event that the automatic water-maker breaks down.

One benefit of participating in an organized ocean rowing race is that they will be trailed by a support yacht and have 24/7 access to an emergency medical consultancy line. Jacob has moderate hemophilia and after discussing his plans with his hematologist, has decided to follow a fairly aggressive infusion schedule. It makes sense to follow a preventive treatment schedule rather than treating after the event of possible injury, like getting tossed about in the boat or clipped by an oar. He will bring approximately 20 doses of factor with him and will store it a well-tested insulated cooler that is extremely sturdy but still space-conscious. Instant cold packs will be added as they approach southern latitudes to help keep the factor within its appropriate temperature range. The storage container will be fixed to the boat so it doesn’t slide around and risk breaking the contents. Foam and inflatable packaging will be added to help minimize movement of the product and provide cushioning during bad weather. Since space is a concern, boxes and miscellaneous items will be removed to maximize available space.

Jacob and Chris hope to set some records, too! If successful, the pair will be the youngest team to complete the row across the Pacific Ocean, from California to Hawaii, and Jacob will be the first person with hemophilia to have completed an ocean row.

The overall fundraising goal of Row for Hemophilia is $125,000. A minimum of $50,000 will be set aside as a direct donation to Hemophilia of Georgia to help fund research for a cure and to support Camp Wannaklot. Upon completion of the race, all functional equipment will be sold to the rowing community with the proceeds added to the amount donated to HoG. Other costs include the race fees and food, which they hope to offset with the help of sponsors. Fundraising is their top priority and Jacob and Chris want to guarantee to donors that their generosity will make an impact. In the off-chance that by December 2015 (the halfway mark), not enough capital has been raised to purchase the necessary supplies, the campaign will end and all proceeds will be donated to HoG.

Learn more about Row for Hemophilia and how you can help Jacob and Chris achieve their incredible goal of rowing unassisted across the Pacific Ocean and bringing awareness to hemophilia. Follow their progress on Facebook and Twitter.

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