Press Releases

CHAPEL HILL - Feb 5, 2019 - For Immediate Release 

Smile Train Triathlon Taking Place June 23 in Wake Forest

Rho sponsoring event for fourth year in a row,

CEO Russ Helms is a nine-time Triathlete, Born with Cleft Lip and Palate

Chapel Hill, NC  ̶  February 4, 2019  ̶  Rho, a Chapel Hill-based full-service contract research organization (CRO) focused on bringing new products to market through a complete range of product development services, is the 2019 Title Sponsor of the 12th annual Smile Train Triathlon taking place Sunday, June 23 in Wake Forest.  This is the fourth year Rho will be the title sponsor for the event. CEO Russ Helms has participated in the event the last nine years, supporting a cause that is near and dear to his heart.  Both he and his daughter Mia were born with cleft lip and palate.

“Rho is extremely proud to once again be the Title Sponsor of the Smile Train Triathlon,” said Russ Helms, co-chief executive officer, Rho.  “As someone who understands the challenges of cleft lip and palate firsthand, and as the CEO of a company focused on improving health, extending life, and enhancing quality of life through corporate and research excellence, supporting Smile Train is something our entire team is proud to do so we can help provide life-changing surgery to children all over the world.”

Smile Train is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. Millions of children in developing countries with unrepaired clefts have difficulty eating, breathing and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple, and the transformation is immediate. Smile Train’s sustainable model provides training and funding to empower local doctors in more than 85 developing countries to provide 100 percent free cleft repair surgery in their communities.

“We are thrilled to have Rho as the title sponsor for the fourth year in a row, and to watch Russ, the CEO, participate alongside everyone else on the hot and hilly course," said Nancy Meredith, race director, Smile Train Triathlon. “Having struggled with this problem personally, Russ understands exactly what these children and their families are going through and how important it is to be able to give them the gift of free cleft repair surgery.”

The 12th annual Rho Smile Train Triathlon will take place on Sunday, June 23, at 8 a.m. in the Heritage community of Wake Forest, North Carolina. The event is a USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned race comprised of a 250-yard pool swim, 12-mile bike, and a 3.1-mile run. Since 2008, the race has generated over $315,000 in donations. Race organizers are hoping to reach $330,000 this year. 

For more information about the Rho Smile Train Triathlon, please visit fsseries.com.  Visit www.rhoworld.com to learn more about Rho.

About Rho

Rho, a privately-held, contract research organization (CRO) located in Chapel Hill, NC, provides a full range of clinical research services across the entire drug development process. For more than 34 years, Rho has been a trusted partner to some of the industry’s leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies as well as academic and government organizations. Our commitment to excellence, our innovative technologies, and our therapeutic expertise accelerate time to market, maximize returns on investment, and lead to an exceptional customer experience. Please follow us on Twitter.

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