In recent years, Professor Nicol Voermans has dedicated significant time and energy to FSHD Europe and the FSHD European Trial Network (ETN). She is also a key contributor to the Global Task Force of Project Mercury—a unique international working group that brings together all major FSHD organizations from Europe, North America, Brazil, and Australia. Their joint mission is ambitious: to enable 10.000 FSHD patients to participate in clinical research on potential therapies by the end of 2027.
Professor Voermans plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. In particular, she is instrumental in establishing a European network of clinical sites where these trials can be conducted. She is widely respected for her profound knowledge of the FSHD field, her extensive international connections, her passion, her empathetic approach to patients, and her leadership skills.
To ensure that Prof. Voermans can continue her vital work for FSHD Europe, the ETN, and Project Mercury, the FSHD Foundation has reached an agreement with Radboud University Medical Center. This agreement enables Prof. Voermans to receive additional support, allowing her to dedicate one full working day per week over the next three years to these initiatives.
On Monday, April 13, an official agreement was signed and confirms a donation of €177,000 from the FSHD Foundation to the Radboud Fund.
The signing took place in the presence of Professor Emeritus Baziel van Engelen and several members of Prof. Voermans’ team. Coincidentally, the Chief Scientific Officer of the Canadian organization Solve FSHD was also visiting at the time and emphasized once more how vital Prof. Voermans’ work is to the global FSHD community.
As chairman of the FSHD Foundation, I am extremely proud that we are able to fund this important step for the European FSHD community and to empower Prof. Voermans to devote more time to her passion: Finding a therapy for FSHD.
We are deeply grateful for her tireless dedication to all of us.
Written by Kees van der Graaf
April 21, 2025
For more information about Project Mercury:
Project Mercury – The Global Initiative to Speed the Delivery of Therapies for FSHD