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Latino Glaucoma Awareness Day Proves “Ver es Poder” – Seeing is Empowering
The crowd as the doors opened at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana on Saturday, May 10, at 9 am told the story.
It was Glaucoma Awareness Day, made possible by a grant from Allergan Inc. From every corner of the community, it seemed that everyone was responding to the rallying cry: “Ver es Poder” – Seeing is Empowering.
“Our goal,” said Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) President and CEO Thomas M. Brunner, “was to see if we could produce a comprehensive family-oriented awareness campaign that would give us a model for other communities to use. Along the way, as we heard from our partners interested in maximally serving those who participate, we also saw the benefit of including screening, backed up with information booths to address the various situations our guests might be facing. Altogether, it worked, primarily because elected leaders from every corner of the community joined together to make glaucoma awareness a mandate, and a targeted radio campaign strongly reinforced that awareness message. There’s certainly a model here based on a strong sense of civic pride.”
More than 200 people had signed up for screenings by noon, tended to by a veritable “who’s who” of leading ophthalmologists, including prominent physicians from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) led by Rohit Varma, MD; Cesar Chavez, MD, cousin of the legendary civil rights leader and with his own family history of glaucoma; and Mary Côté, MD from Huntington Beach.
J. Bronwyn Bateman, MD, a member of GRF’s Board of Directors also participated in the project’s planning, having co-chaired a symposium on Eye Diseases in Diverse Populations sponsored by another member of the project’s Leadership Council, Robert Drabkin.
The LALES research led by Dr. Varma at USC’s Doheny Eye Institute first sounded the alarm that Latinos were among the highest at-risk for glaucoma. And it was this research that stirred this consortium of public and private leaders to action.
Leadership Council Key to Day’s Success
Leadership Council members (left to right): Ed Reno (Allergan), Jose Molina, Senator Lou Correa, Laure Molina, Councilwoman Michele Martinez, Mayor Miguel Pulido, Teddy Fregoso, Bronwyn Bateman, MD, Carlos Lastra Gonzales, MD (USC LALES), Cesar Chavez, MD, Scott Garmon, Robert Drabkin, Thomas M. Brunner (Glaucoma Research Foundation).
The key to the day’s success was vividly illustrated as the project’s Leadership Council assembled on stage for an informal kick-off ceremony. Jose Molina, pioneer of Spanish-language broadcasting in the Southwest, chaired the Council and introduced elected officials whose leadership had been instrumental in making the day a priority cause for Santa Ana and Orange County.
Miguel Pulido, Mayor of the host city of Santa Ana, had set the standard when he virtually declared glaucoma a public health priority for Santa Ana, summoned all the city’s health and human services-related non-profit agencies to City Hall to see how the Awareness Day could be enhanced by their own programs, and personally directed the resulting recommendations.
City Council member Michele Martinez mobilized a shuttle bus network and looped in selected Senior and Recreation Centers. Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez also pitched in. Thanks to these priorities, the City Council also initiated an Ad Hoc Wellness Committee to address health-related issues and identify projects that will help improve the well-being of Santa Ana residents, ensuring that projects such as these receive the needed follow-up.
Senator Lou Correa and Assemblymember Jose Solorio – both members of the Latino Legislative Caucus – joined the cause from the beginning, dedicating staff time to getting out the word of the Day to their constituencies.
Mr. Solorio even brought along Assembly Resolutions of Commendation, which he presented to Mr. Molina and to GRF staff member Rosi Bustamante who coordinated the project.
The centerpiece of the ceremony was a presentation summarizing the LALES findings, given by Dr. Varma personally. Dr. Varma’s LALES team had been a major resource in every step of the planning and implementation of the Day, with generous volunteer time given by Carlos Lastra Gonzalez, MD and Miguel Unzueta, MD, and Project Director Mina Torres.
Master of Ceremonies was Fernando Escandon, the legendary voice of Spanish-language broadcasting. Escandon voiced the radio spot for the event, produced by broadcasting luminary Teddy Fregoso. An appearance by 14-year old rising star Jessica Flores provided a special entertainment treat. The Leadership Council also included Laure Molina, Bill Cusack, Scott Garmon, and Norma Gonzales.
Community partners participating in the event included The Braille Institute, The Cambodia Family, Dayle McIntosh Center, Delhi Center, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Latino Health Access and Orange County Health Agency. Essential assistance was provided by volunteers from Allergan, LALES, the City of Santa Ana, UC Riverside’s Delta Gamma Fraternity, and Lion’s Club.
The project also benefited from several unsung and exceptionally helpful heroines: staff members of the City of Santa Ana (Alma Flores), LALES (Jeanne Dzekov), Senator Correa’s office (Martha Lopez) and Assemblymember Solorio’s office (Mayela Montenegro and Jessica Gutierrez).