Stoppelmoor-Adams Stroke Foundation

The Beginning · 1992

A Mother's Memory,
A Family's Mission

Wayne Stoppelmoor — a Shell Rock, Iowa native, University of Iowa graduate, and longtime executive at Interstate Power Company — built a distinguished career in Iowa's energy industry. But in 1992, his world changed when his beloved wife, Shirley, died from a stroke.

"In Shirley's memory, we wanted to do something that could help other families never have to face what we did." — Wayne Stoppelmoor

Rather than grieve in silence, the Stoppelmoor family channeled their loss into action. Memorial gifts established a stroke research fund at the University of Iowa — one that would quietly grow for over two decades before becoming something far greater.

In 2015, the family, together with major co-contributors including Dr. Harold Adams and his wife Leah, transformed the resource into a permanently endowed fund — ensuring Shirley's legacy would support stroke research at Iowa in perpetuity.

The Stoppelmoor Family

Five Children.
One Unbreakable Mission.

Wayne and Shirley Stoppelmoor raised five children in Shell Rock, Iowa — Wayne Jr., Steven, Richard, Thomas, and Deborah. In the decades since Shirley's passing, stroke has continued to touch nearly every branch of their family tree. Rather than be defined by that loss, the Stoppelmoors have chosen to be defined by their response to it.

Wayne Jr.

Eldest Son

Following in his father's footsteps with a strong commitment to Iowa roots and family values, Wayne Jr. has been a steadfast part of keeping Shirley's memory alive through the foundation his family built in her honor.

In Shirley's Memory

Steven

Stroke Survivor

Steven's own experience with stroke transformed him from a grieving son into a living testament to the importance of early detection and rapid intervention — the very principles at the heart of what his family's foundation works to advance. His recovery is a source of strength for the whole family.

Survivor · Hope in Action

Richard

Son

Richard carries his mother Shirley's memory and his family's dedication to stroke awareness forward — part of a generation that turned personal loss into lasting institutional change at the University of Iowa.

In Shirley's Memory

Thomas (Tom)

Father of Olympian Zach Stoppelmoor

Tom's son Zach never had the chance to meet his grandmother Shirley — stroke took her before Zach was born. And Zach's grandfather on his other side, who also passed from stroke-related complications, never saw his grandson compete. Tom carries both of those absences with him. Watching Zach become an Olympian in 2026 — and carry the family name onto the world stage — is a moment the whole Stoppelmoor family feels deeply.

Zach's Dad · Olympic Pride

Deborah

Daughter · In Memory of Greg

Deborah's husband Greg — an avid tennis player and beloved father — died of a stroke ten years ago, leaving behind Deborah and their daughters Katie and Meagan, who lost their dad at a young age. Greg's love of tennis became the inspiration for Groundstrokes for Strokes, the annual University of Iowa fundraiser that now bears his spirit in every serve and volley. His memory lives on every time someone steps on that court.

In Memory of Greg

"Across five siblings, this family has known stroke as a mother lost too soon, a brother who survived, a husband who didn't, a grandmother Zach never got to meet, and daughters who grew up without their dad. Early detection and early intervention aren't just a medical priority for the Stoppelmoors — they are a deeply personal conviction, earned through decades of loss, survival, and love."

Zach Stoppelmoor · 2026 Olympic Speedskater · West Des Moines, Iowa

The Next Generation · 2026

Zach Stoppelmoor —
Iowa's Olympian

The family legacy that began with honoring a grandmother's memory has found a new chapter on the world's biggest stage. Zach Stoppelmoor made history in 2026 as a first-time Olympic speedskater — carrying with him the values of family, perseverance, and giving back that have defined the Stoppelmoors for generations.

Even while competing at the pinnacle of his sport, Zach has remained deeply connected to Iowa and to the causes that matter to his family — including the work of the Stoppelmoor-Adams Stroke Foundation at the University of Iowa. His profile as an Olympian has brought new attention and new donors to the mission of ending stroke.

On April 17, the Iowa Wild will honor Zach at their Fan Appreciation Night — a celebration of athletic achievement and the community values that make Iowa proud.

2026

Olympic Games

1st

Olympic Appearance

Iowa

Hometown Proud

Research & Education

The Work of
Dr. Harold Adams

The "Adams" in Stoppelmoor-Adams honors one of the most consequential stroke researchers in American medicine. Dr. Harold P. Adams Jr. spent 50 years at the University of Iowa reshaping how physicians understand, diagnose, and treat stroke — work that has saved millions of lives.

NIH

Stroke Scale

Adams co-developed the NIH Stroke Scale — a 42-point assessment still used today as the global standard for evaluating acute ischemic stroke patients. It remains the most robust predictor of patient outcomes ever devised.

TOAST

Classification System

The landmark TOAST trial, led by Adams, debunked heparin therapy for stroke and produced a five-type ischemic stroke classification system that is foundational to clinical care worldwide to this day.

tPA

FDA Approval

Adams served on the FDA advisory panel that recommended approval of tPA — clot-busting drugs that transformed stroke from a condition of helplessness into a treatable emergency. "All of a sudden," he said, "stroke became an emergency."

About Dr. Adams

Harold P. Adams Jr., MD

Professor Emeritus · Department of Neurology · University of Iowa

Beyond his landmark research, Dr. Adams spearheaded the establishment of Vascular Neurology as a formal subspecialty through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He chaired the American Heart Association's Stroke Council through three cycles of national guideline development. He has been named Teacher of the Year 14 times and received the A.B. Baker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Neurological Education. His Code Stroke Program at UI Health Care set the standard for statewide emergency stroke response — ensuring that any Iowan who has a stroke can access lifesaving care, no matter where they live.

The fund also supports pilot research — including the Cytokine Registry in Stroke Patients (CRISP) trial — and studies on helicopter transport factors affecting clot-lysis outcomes for rural Iowans.

Endowed Professorship · 2022

A Permanent Chair
in Vascular Neurology

In November 2022, the Stoppelmoor-Adams Fund reached a milestone — the formal investiture of a named endowed professorship at the Carver College of Medicine. This prestigious chair ensures that the University of Iowa will always have a world-class leader in stroke medicine carrying the Stoppelmoor-Adams name forward.

Stoppelmoor-Adams Professor of Vascular Neurology

Dr. Enrique Leira, MD

Director, Cerebrovascular Disease Division · UI Comprehensive Stroke Center

Dr. Leira completed his cerebrovascular fellowship at Iowa in 1998 under the mentorship of Dr. Harold Adams. He now leads the UI Comprehensive Stroke Center — Iowa's only Comprehensive Stroke Center, the highest level of certification available — and serves as principal investigator for one of 25 NIH StrokeNet regional coordinating centers nationwide. His work focuses especially on improving stroke outcomes for patients in rural Iowa communities.

Annual Distinguished Lecture

The Stoppelmoor
Lecture Series

Each year the fund brings one of the nation's foremost stroke researchers to Iowa City for the annual Stoppelmoor Lecture — connecting University of Iowa faculty, residents, and students with the leading minds shaping the future of stroke medicine.

Year	Speaker	Institution
2024	Jennifer Juhl Majersik, MD	University of Utah
2023	To be confirmed
2022	Louise McCullough, MD	UT Houston
2021	To be confirmed
2020	To be confirmed
2019	To be confirmed
2018	Lauren Sansing, MD	Yale University
2017	Pooja Khatri, MD, MSc	University of Cincinnati
2016	Lori Jordan, MD	Vanderbilt University
2015	Steven Cramer, MD	UC Irvine
2014	Bart M. Demaerschalk, MD	Mayo Clinic Scottsdale
2013	Patricia Davis, MD	University of Iowa
2012	Heather Fullerton, MD	UCSF
2011	Michael Froehler, MD, PhD	University of Iowa
2010	Constantino Iadecola, MD	Columbia University
2009	Philip Gorelick, MD	University of Illinois
2008	Jeffrey Saver, MD	UCLA
2007	J.P. Mohr, MD	Columbia University
2006	David Hess, MD	Medical College of Georgia
2005	William Powers, MD	Washington University, St. Louis
2004	Michael Johnston, MD	Johns Hopkins University

Community Event · In Memory of Greg

Annual Fundraiser

Groundstrokes
for Strokes

The name says it all — but the story behind it runs deeper than most people know.

Greg, the husband of Deborah Stoppelmoor, was an avid tennis player and a devoted father to daughters Katie and Meagan. When he died of a stroke, the family looked for a way to keep his memory alive while honoring the mission that had defined them since 1992. Tennis — Greg's game — became the answer.

Every serve, every groundstroke, every game played at this event carries Greg's love of the sport — and the family's love for him — forward.

Started by medical, dental, and physical therapy students at the University of Iowa, Groundstrokes for Strokes now brings the entire Iowa community together each year. Players of all skill levels are welcome. All proceeds benefit the Stoppelmoor-Adams Stroke Education and Research Fund.

Iowa Groundstrokes for Strokes →

🎾 Now Coming to Arizona

Groundstrokes for Strokes — Phoenix

In a deeply personal tribute, Katie Beers — Greg's daughter — is bringing Groundstrokes for Strokes to Phoenix to mark the 10th anniversary of her father's passing. Saturday, April 18th · Gold Key Racquet Club, 12826 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ · All levels welcome · RSVP by April 1st.

Learn More & RSVP →

Support the Mission

Help End Stroke
in Iowa & Beyond

Every gift to the Stoppelmoor-Adams Stroke Education and Research Fund supports real research, real clinicians, and real Iowa patients. Your contribution helps ensure the fund reaches its endowment goal — permanently securing a world-class vascular neurology program at the University of Iowa.

🔬

Fund Pilot Research

Your gift seeds innovative studies that can attract larger NIH grants and change how stroke is treated across the country.

🎓

Endow Excellence

Gifts toward the endowment permanently support Iowa's Stoppelmoor-Adams Professor of Vascular Neurology — the named chair in Shirley's honor.

❤️

Honor a Loved One

Make a gift in memory of someone touched by stroke. Every donation continues the legacy that Wayne Stoppelmoor began for Shirley in 1992.

Donate via University of Iowa Foundation → UI Comprehensive Stroke Center

From Family Lossto LastingLegacy

A Mother's Memory,A Family's Mission

Five Children.One Unbreakable Mission.

Zach Stoppelmoor —Iowa's Olympian

The Work ofDr. Harold Adams

Harold P. Adams Jr., MD

A Permanent Chairin Vascular Neurology

The StoppelmoorLecture Series

Groundstrokesfor Strokes

Help End Strokein Iowa & Beyond

From Family Loss
to Lasting
Legacy