Glaucoma Research Foundation

Our Donors

H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr., MD Honored at 31st Anniversary Benefit

An ebullient crowd of 350 guests including 52 glaucoma physicians from across the country convened in San Francisco’s historic Palace Hotel to honor Glaucoma Research Foundation co-founder H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., MD. Dr. Hoskins was presented with GRF’s highest accolade, The Catalyst Award, by 2009 National Chair William Tasman, MD (Director Emeritus, Wills Eye Institute) at the Foundation’s 31st Anniversary Benefit, “Honor the Physicians. Speeding the Cure. Spreading the Word.”

Honorary National Chair President George H. W. Bush welcomed guests by video. In his opening comments, President Bush said, “As someone with glaucoma, the Foundation’s mission to speed the cure and spread the word about this silent thief of sight is near to my heart.”.

Rohit Varma, MD of USC’s Doheny Eye Institute received The President’s Award from Thomas M. Brunner in recognition of his exemplary volunteer leadership in spreading the word about the high risk for glaucoma in the Latino population. John Shaffer, son of GRF founder Robert N. Shaffer, MD, presented The Shaffer Prize for Innovative Glaucoma Research to Donald J. Brown, PhD of UC Irvine recognizing Dr. Brown’s pilot study examining intraocular pressure in glaucoma.

Nobuko Saito Cleary and Gary Cleary, PharmD, PhD opened the annual Research Update by Catalyst For a Cure Principal Investigators David Calkins, PhD (Vanderbilt University), Philip Horner, PhD (University of Washington), Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong, PhD (Johns Hopkins University), and Monica Vetter, PhD (University of Utah). A summary of the Research Update is on page 3 of this newsletter.

The 2nd Annual Silent Auction — co-chaired by GRF Board members June Behrendt and Linda Linck and staffed by Delta Gamma volunteers from Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Diablo Valley — was a highlight of the President’s Reception.

Mona and Ed Zander, Event Co-Chairs, welcomed dinner guests in the Palace Ballroom. During dinner, Ed seized the moment: “I’m not on the program, but I’ve been listening to the incredible progress being made by these scientists. I also heard that the Shaffer Grants may need to be postponed this year.” He then offered $5,000 if others in the room would donate $1,000 each to fund a Shaffer Grant. Within minutes, his enthusiastic appeal generated the additional funds to support a scientist for one year. Total proceeds from the glittering evening were over $400,000, and thanks to spirited giving by Benefit guests funding was secured for two Shaffer Grants.

In Appreciation

Our deepest appreciation for the generosity of our donors at the $1,000 level and above, including members of THE CATALYST CIRCLE, THE BLANCHE MATTHIAS SOCIETY, and institutional donors. (Contributions of record from December 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009).

BENEFACTORS ($100,000 and above)

Allergan, Inc; Mr. and Mrs. F.T. Barr; Alcon Laboratories, Inc.; Edward Joseph Daly Foundation

FOUNDERS ($50,000 to $99,999)

Steven L. Merrill; Deirdre Porter and Bradford Hall; Thomas J. Collier Trust; Xenia E. Marcellus Trust

PACESETTERS ($25,000 to $49,999)

Jill and Michael Chmura; Richard K. Hirayama; Mona & Edward Zander Family Foundation; The Ross Family Trust; Santen, Inc.

PATRONS ($10,000 to $24,999)

Thomas M. Brunner; Joy and Dinesh Desai; Germaine and Timothy Dwyer, Wendy Dwyer Memorial; Iris and Lawrence Lerner; The Mellam Family Foundation; Judith and Charles Munnerlyn, PhD; Neighbor To Nation; Virginia M. Shaffer; Charlot and Dennis E. Singleton; Matthew Tate, PhD

SPONSORS ($5,000 to $9,999)

Lori and Allen Bouch; Ann and H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr., MD; Janet and David Kline; Alvin T. Levitt; Angela Nomellini and Kenneth E. Olivier; F. Tracy Schilling; Laine and Carl Smith

PRESIDENT’S CLUB ($1,000 to $4,999)

Misato Adachi, MD; AllianceBernstein; Eileen B. Ayer; Ballard Technology, Inc.; The Bank of New York; Karla and George Barber; Walter R. Barry, Jr.; J.Bronwyn Bateman, MD and Douglas Hershey, MD; Lezlie Beam; Virgene and James D. Beam; Joan and Burt Berry; The Bodri Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund; Richard Bondurant; Barbara Bowman and James Holtz; Karen and James D. Brandt, MD; Michael W. Brennan, MD; Cynthia and Frederick Brinkmann; Paul W. Cannon; Hu H. Chao; C. Seth Cunningham; Kelvin L. Davis; Victoria and Donald F. DeMuth; Dodge & Cox; Diane Duerr-Levine and Matt Levine; Edna M. Kallial Irrevocable Trust; Tracey and Michael Elfstrom; Elsewhere Advertising & Communications; A.L. Fenaughty; Sally and Mike Gallagher; Enid and Martin Gleich; Margaret and Joseph F. Govednik; Adrienne Graves, PhD; Henry Greenspan, PhD; Irene Harris; Ken Hedrick; Beverly and Andrew Honzel; Eleanor L. Hoskins; Jo Ann and George Jenkins; Jesup & Lamont Securities Corp.; Manraj Johl; Roberta R.W. Kameda; Robert Karp; Mrs. Amos Krausz; Andrew J. Kujawa; Kim and Bob Lally; Patricia and Charles Lee; Linda C. Linck; Lawrence S. Lipkind, DDS; Lumenis, Inc.; Laurel A. Maddox; Inge and Harold Marcus; The Marian and Julius Tills Endowment Fund; Nancy and William D. McDonald; Christopher M. Morgan; Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz; Lilian and D.B. Murray; Marjorie A. Nevitt; Vincent E. O’Brien; Judy F. Oliphant; June and Sean Otto; Gerald L. Parsky; Ron Payne; Roxanne N. and David C. Peterschmidt; Charles J. Philipps; Jon D. Ralph; Janet and Cary Rayment; Talbott and James Roche; Karen and Harry Roth, MD; David J. Roux; Roy G. Michell Charitable Foundation and Trust; John Russell; The Seelenfreund Family Fund; Susan and John Shaffer; Fred Simmons; Sally and Norman Spencer; Robert Stamper, MD; Jeanne Stark and Laird Broadfield; Arthur S. Takahara; Catherine and Richard Tate; Colette Tedeschi; Patricia and George Thomas; Stephanie Twomey and N. D’Arcy Roche; Gladys and George M. Weston, DDS; The Wilmoth Family; Ratna K. Yadla, MD; Donna and Charles Young; Cheryl and Thomas J. Young

GIFTS ON KIND

ArtVisions Portraiture; Saks Fifth Avenue, Union Square

This article appeared in the May 2009 issue of Gleams. Subscribe