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Curing Parkinson’s is just a matter of time. And endurance. Donate to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Now.

Inspired To Endure

We push human limits to help end Parkinson's disease.

Human Powered Potential creates bold, imagination-capturing endurance events that raise funds to support The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

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A RECORD-BREAKING 2,800-MILE ROW
RAISED $43 MILLION FOR PARKINSON’S RESEARCH

In June 2024, four friends set out to do the impossible. Brendan Cusick, Scott Forman, Peter Durso, and Patrick Morrissey launched from Monterey, California, rowing west toward Hawaii.

41 days. 30-foot swells. Salt sores. Sea sickness. Equipment failures. Unrelenting exhaustion. Two hours rowing. Two hours rest. Around the clock. All human-powered. They not only made it to Hanalei Bay—they raised $43 million for Parkinson’s research for The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and Patrick became the first person diagnosed with Parkinson’s to row the Pacific.

The team set out to honor the strength of those who face trials greater than the Pacific Ocean could ever present, and proved that when we row together and keep moving forward—the impossible becomes inevitable.

founder’s story

The Latest Happenings

blog What Crossing the Pacific for Parkinson’s Set in Motion — One Year Later 06.09.2025 | The Michael J. Fox Foundation
news How I Became the First Person With Parkinson’s to Row Across the Pacific 01.28.2025 | Men's Health
news Patrick Morrissey didn’t let Parkinson’s disease stop him from rowing across the Pacific Ocean 08.02.2024 | CNN
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The Next Adventure

Inspired by the inaugural row, Human Powered Potential (HPP) is launching a new slate of endurance events featuring athletes living with Parkinson’s disease—to raise funds for a cure and to help show the world what’s possible when we keep moving forward and challenge our limits. A team of female athletes, one of whom is living with Parkinson’s, is now training to row the Great American Loop—a 5000+-mile nautical odyssey.

This undertaking, the Second Wave, passes the oars to the next wave of warriors and kicks off a series of new endurance events dedicated to supporting The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

next adventure

WHY WE ENDURE

Every HPP stroke, stride, or mile forward powers progress as part of Team Fox, the grassroots community of The Michael J. Fox Foundation—where 100% of funds raised go directly to research programs accelerating a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest-growing neurological disorder. The number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s doubled from 1990 to 2015.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation is the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research in the world, dedicated to finding a cure through research and developing improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s.

 

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HPP's original "World's Toughest Row" crew meets HPP's Second Wave team, who will row the Great American Loop in 2027!
About Us

The Movement

The Human Powered Potential (HPP) organization was born from Team HPP’s 2024 Pacific row, when four teammates crossed 2,800 miles of ocean and raised $43 million for The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

In 2025, HPP became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports bold athletic endeavors involving individuals living with Parkinson’s. The goal is to raise funds for a cure and inspire those living with this disease to keep moving forward.

100% of funds raised through HPP events support The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s work to advance Parkinson’s research and treatments.

Rebels with a Cause

Every HPP expedition is an act of rebellion, hope, and a reminder to never underestimate someone living with Parkinson’s. Our movement celebrates what humans can do when they challenge their limits, keep moving forward, and show up for each other.

meet the founders

Defiant Hope

Hope is our endurance fuel. Every mile traveled, every dollar raised, every story shared moves us closer to new treatments and a cure. Science has shown us that exercise can help slow progression of this disease—and that the future of cures is closer than we think.

With biomarkers identified, gene therapies advancing, and research timelines compressed by decades, the cure isn’t a distant dream—it’s a proximate reality. We know that moving forward with hope is not naïve; it’s a strategic advantage. It’s how we win in the fight against Parkinson’s.

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HPP ADVENTURES

We’re building a slate of new audacious endurance events to help show the world what’s possible when we push our limits, and help find a cure for the millions who endure every day with Parkinson’s.

First Wave
2,800 MILES.
41 DAYS.
$43 MILLION.
completed
Second Wave
GREAT AMERICAN LOOP

The Great American Loop Route is a +5,000-mile nautical adventure. Follow along as female athletes train to take on this challenge.

stay in the loop
Coming Soon
Call for Adventure

We’re launching an open call for bold, imagination-capturing athletic endeavors to support individuals with Parkinson’s who undertake ambitious physical challenges while raising funds for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Sign up to receive launch alerts.

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