When sailing becomes a beacon of hope: Bertrand Delhom, the first sailor with Parkinson’s to complete a round-the-world race during the Ocean Globe Race, and doctor-skipper Tanneguy Raffray launched the Neptune Project, a collective journey defined by courage and solidarity. With the motto “who dares lives”, they show how the sea can be a powerful source of energy and resilience in the face of illness.
Next April, they will bring this message to the San Francisco Bay with the first “Sailing for Parkinson’s” regatta, raising awareness and funds for the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Parkinson Association of Northern California.
MerciSF had the pleasure of speaking with the two Breton sailors, the Neptune Project’s U.S. ambassador Amy Bridge, and their collaborator Jill Abelson at the official launch of this transatlantic initiative.
MerciSF: Can you tell us how the Neptune Project got started and how you became involved?
Tanneguy Raffray: The project began in 2022, on the 50th anniversary of the Whitbread, the first crewed round-the-world race launched in 1973. We found Neptune, a classic 1977 sailboat, which we restored to compete in the race. On a personal level, I was also deeply motivated: I’m a doctor and Parkinson’s has touched both my family and friends. I was looking for a medical cause to support, and that’s when I met Bertrand.
MerciSF: Bertrand, how did you come to join this adventure?
Bertrand Delhom: I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2021. The shock was immense. I had two choices: let it defeat me or rise to the challenge. I chose the latter. I heard about this race, contacted the organizers, and applied as a crew member. That’s how I met Tanneguy, who was already ferrying Neptune. Step by step, we said, “Let’s turn this into a Parkinson’s challenge.” That’s how the Neptune Project was born.
MerciSF: Why choose sailing as the sport to take on this challenge?
Bertrand Delhom: Sailing is a sport of endurance and balance—almost therapeutic for me. During the round-the-world race, I sometimes felt better at sea than under treatment.
Tanneguy Raffray: Sailing embodies teamwork and resilience. It’s the perfect arena to show that even with illness, extraordinary adventures are possible.
MerciSF: Bertrand, you made history as the first sailor with Parkinson’s to complete a global circumnavigation. How did you experience this journey?
Bertrand Delhom: This journey was a rebirth for me and my loved ones. Beyond that, I received hundreds of messages from patients saying that our project had given them hope.
Tanneguy Raffray: What’s remarkable is that Bertrand didn’t just hold his place on board—he became the anchor of the project. While we thought we’d need to support him, it was actually he who supported the crew, with his resilience, his role in managing provisions and cooking, and his infectious energy.
MerciSF: Has your project inspired other patients to take on sporting challenges?
Tanneguy Raffray: Absolutely. We’ve seen other initiatives spring up, from rowers traveling to Hawaii to Guillaume Brachet, a researcher and kayaker. On our side, we always include at least one Parkinson’s patient in every race. This summer, we competed in the Fastnet with a patient on board, and it went perfectly. In 2027, during the Ocean Globe Race, we’ll go further: one patient per country and per leg will be on board.
Our message is clear: everyone can find their place on deck.
MerciSF: What are your plans for the future?
Tanneguy Raffray: We want to internationalize both the project and the crew. Several international transatlantic races are planned, and we hope to include American patients and others from around the world to share their experiences. The goal is to turn Neptune into a global awareness movement.
MerciSF: Amy, how did you join the adventure, and what is your ambition in the region?
Amy: I joined the project to raise its profile in the U.S. and to establish a nonprofit organization representing Neptune here. Today, more than 30 yacht clubs are already ambassadors. San Francisco Bay was a natural choice: an active French community, world-class research centers (Stanford, UCSF…), a philanthropic culture, and a love of sailing. Today, more than 30 yacht clubs are already ambassadors. We want to create an annual event that brings together yacht clubs, researchers, patients, and donors under one message: Parkinson’s does not define a person.
MerciSF: Tell us about your regatta planned in San Francisco on April 11.
Bertrand Delhom: On April 11, 2026, World Parkinson’s Day, we will host the first “Sailing for Parkinson’s” regatta in San Francisco Bay, benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Parkinson Association of Northern California.
Our goal is to unite people across borders, share our message of hope, and continue demonstrating that Parkinson’s should not define a patient’s life.
MerciSF: What are your concrete goals for this first edition?
Amy: Practically, we want to raise awareness, break patient isolation, and fund research. Anyone can participate by registering a boat, sponsoring a crew, or making a donation. Every gesture matters.
Sailing is a powerful way to share this collective adventure and restore confidence to patients.
MerciSF: Bertrand and Tanneguy, to conclude, what message would you like to share with readers discovering your story and the Neptune Project?
Bertrand: Life with illness is challenging, but it deserves to be lived fully. Everyone can have their own “round-the-world journey,” big or small, depending on their strength and circumstances. For some, it’s crossing the street; for others, circling the globe. The important thing is to have a goal, no matter how modest, and never give up.
Tanneguy Raffray: We want Neptune to become a platform for solidarity and awareness around Parkinson’s. May its wake inspire patients to dream, meet, and feel supported. And if the project can also contribute financially to research, it will have fully achieved its purpose.
To support the Neptune Project in the U.S.:
https://give.michaeljfox.org/neptuneproject
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