Community Fundraisers

The Dorset Dolphins bring an intensely personal perspective to hydrocephalus fundraising. This remarkable team has teammates Lilly and Parker, plus the nephew of a former coach, all living with hydrocephalus—together they've already endured 10 brain surgeries.

Their annual "Dolphin Dash" transforms this personal connection into powerful action. Before swimming, teammates hear directly from Lilly and Parker about what it's like to live with hydrocephalus, creating an educational moment that drives their fundraising efforts.

When your teammates are living with a condition that could require emergency brain surgery at any moment, fundraising becomes more than charity—it becomes advocacy for your friends and family.

The Little Falls Penguins of Bethesda, Maryland, have become one of Team Hydro's most devoted community partners. Their story began in 2012 when former teammates learned that Kate Finlayson—a beloved Penguin who had swum with the team as a child—had passed away from hydrocephalus after enduring over 100 brain surgeries.

Kate had joined the Little Falls Penguins at age six, welcomed with open arms despite her physical challenges. Swimming became not just physical therapy for her, but a source of joy and the values that sustained her throughout her life.

For over a decade, this amazing team has dedicated an entire practice each summer where swimmers aged 4-18 swim as far as they can to raise funds. Each swimmer receives a hospital bracelet with a real hydrocephalus patient's name and story, swimming in their honor.

The Chester Valley Golf Club Dolphins in Malvern, Pennsylvania, exemplify how young people can lead change in their communities. With over 100 swimmers participating, their annual "Charity Swim" combines fun relay races with serious fundraising and education.

What makes their event special is the youth leadership model. High schoolers organize and lead the entire event, teaching younger swimmers about hydrocephalus while engaging them in fundraising activities. Their creative approach includes swimmers making "shark fins" with their hands during races—a nod to Team Hydro's Alcatraz swim.

As one student organizer reflected: "Before [the swim] I had little knowledge of hydrocephalus, but now I feel like an expert and certainly an advocate for [better] treatments!"