A New Commitment to Vision

Meet Tom Sullivan – DEF’s Ambassador of Vision

Over the last 40 years, I’ve been committed to working on behalf of blind children and their families.  My involvement has spanned the entire gamut of participation – from direct involvement in the classroom and counseling parents to hosting organized 10K races and celebrity golf tournaments that carried my name.  In that time, my wife and I raised just over $8 million thanks to the generosity of so many people.  Though my commitment to this cause has not changed, I’ve chosen to take on a new challenge that has in every way re-energized my passion. 

I’ve recently become the Ambassador of Vision for the Discovery Eye Foundation (DEF), a remarkable organization that funds cutting edge research that I believe someday will eliminate many forms of blindness.  The principle reason for my enthusiastic commitment is largely due to the fact that DEF directly funds researchers and avoids institutional restrictions.

As of this blog, DEF is engaged in ongoing efforts to understand 5 main eye diseases – Retinitis Pigmentosa, Macular Degeneration, Keratoconus, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Glaucoma.  I can honestly tell you that breakthroughs are not only on the horizon, but in many cases they are imminent.  Over the weeks and months I’ll be telling you much more, specifically about our individual research projects.  

Any help you may choose to give on behalf of people struggling with vision loss will be deeply appreciated. I look forward to having many of you join my fight for sight. Your help can make a difference! Click here to donate.

 

Tom Sullivan
DEF’s Ambassador of Vision
sullivanvision.com

 

 

A Second Vision

Kristin McDonald

For the last few years Kristin McDonald, a former actress and television spokeswoman, has been applying her make-up without the aid of her eyes due to retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that reduces a person’s peripheral vision until all that is left is a pinpoint of sight.

Today, she is in a first stage study that is offering her and others hope that the injection of stem cells might be the mechanism that could slow, and maybe even halt the effects of this horrible disease. Discovery Eye Foundation helped support many of the preliminary translational studies necessary to bring the clinical trial to the FDA and get this exciting, novel approach to the patients.

I am Tom Sullivan, Ambassador of Vision for the Discovery Eye Foundation, and I was rocked when my phone rang recently and I heard the sound of my friend Kristin crying.

“What’s the matter?” I asked with real concern.

Her tears were quickly replaced by laughter, joyous laughter.

“It might be working,” she said, “I mean, the cells just might be having an impact.”

“Meaning your feeling change in your vision?” I asked. 

“Tom,” she went on, “you won’t believe it. This morning when I was getting dressed and putting on my make-up, I saw my mascara in the mirror. Listen, I am not trying to tell you I can see, but since the cells were injected, I can focus on a light and even begin to notice shadows.”

“And, now,” she laughed again, “maybe I can put my mascara on straight!”

Kristin has no illusions about how far the injection of cells will take her; but, she is encouraged, as are many of the other patients who are part of Dr. Henry Klassen’s clinical study helped by DEF’s early stage funding.  Maybe the old phrase really does apply – you probably know the one I mean – “hope springs eternal in the human breast.” That goes for the researchers, the patients, and all of us who treasure the gift of sight.

To read more about Kristin McDonald, visit her website at secondvision.net

 

Tom Sullivan
DEF’s Ambassador of Vision
sullivanvision.com