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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.