Friends of the FHS
A Message From the Friends of the
Framingham Heart Study
The Friends of the Framingham Heart Study is a community-based organization that provides supplemental financial support for research activities at the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) and advocacy for the participants. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with tax-exempt status and is supported solely by donations.
Members are FHS participants, who oversee and direct funds to areas of need, such as occasional travel grants to FHS investigators attending scientific conferences, audio-visual equipment for long-distance conferencing with collaborators, annual scholarships to high school graduates going to college, and the ECG cards sent to participants after exam visits. All members donate their time. There are no administrative or operating costs.
Current members include:
- John Galvani, President
- Peter Allen, Treasurer
- James Gordon, Clerk
- Jaidev Dasgupta
- Emily Manders
- Donna Tannar
- Lisa Zanella
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!!
THE 2026 DAWBER ESSAY CONTEST
President John Galvani and the Board Members of the Friends of FHS awarded two scholarships for 2026, based on an essay contest open to high school seniors. The first-place award was $1,500 and the second-place award was $1,000.
Applicants needed to submit just two items: an email listing their name, address, telephone number, intended college, and career goals (in roughly two sentences), along with a 1,000-word essay titled “What it means to be a participant in medical research in the Framingham Heart Study.”
The essay was sent as an email attachment to Rebecca Bennett (rlbennet@bu.edu).
This year’s winners have already been selected, and the contest will be held again next year. Additional details will be shared closer to the next contest’s start date. Note: only high school seniors are eligible.
To make a donation to the Friends of the Framingham Heart Study, or for more information, contact FHS Business Analyst Rebecca Bennett at 508-935-3486, fhs@bu.edu, or mail your donation, made payable to the Friends of Framingham Heart Study, to 73 Mt. Wayte, Framingham, MA 01702, attention Rebecca Bennett.