2021 ANNUAL REPORT 203 Lothrop Street • Suite 251 EEI • Pittsburgh, PA 15213 • 412-864-1300 • eyeandear.org
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2021 Ruth G. Auld, EdD Executive Director, DePaul School for Hearing & Speech Henry S. Beukema (Retired) Executive Director, McCune Foundation Neal S. Beckford, MD Associate Professor of Otolaryngology University of Tennessee Health Science Center Glenn E. Bost. II (Retired) Senior Vice President - Law, Compliance and Special Projects of PPG Charles R. Brodbeck, Esq., Vice Chairman, EEF Board Director, Cohen & Grigsby, PC Charles C. Cohen, Honorary Director Founding Partner and Chairman Emeritus, Cohen & Grigsby, PC Deepinder K. Dhaliwal, MD, LAc Director, Cornea & Refractive Surgery Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Douglas P. Dick Co-Chairman & CEO, Dick Building Company George A. Fechter, Chairman, EEF Board Chairman, Fechter Holdings Louis J. Fox Former SVP Gerald Metals, Inc.
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Lawrence N. Gumberg, Treasurer, EEF Board President, LG Realty Advisors, Inc. Jonas T. Johnson, MD, FACS Distinguished Service Professor and Chairman, Department of Otolaryngology The Dr. Eugene N. Myers Endowed Chair University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Carole L. Kamin Retired Manager-Buyer, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Jeffrey B. Markel Managing Director, Perspective Capital Michele M. McKenney Founder and Managing Member, McKenney Home Care Diana L. Mrvos, MD Ophthalmologist Albert C. Muse President, The Muse Company Eugene N. Myers, MD, FACS, FRCS Edin (Hon) Distinguished Professor and Emeritus Chair Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine B. Gordon Nelson, III President, B. G. Nelson, LLC José-Alain Sahel, MD Distinguished Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology Eye & Ear Foundation Endowed Chair University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Exceptional Class Professor, Sorbonne University, Paris
E. Ronald Salvitti, MD Ophthalmologist Founder and Medical Director, Southwestern Pennsylvania Eye Center Anantha Shekhar, MD, PhD Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences John and Gertrude Petersen Dean, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh James L. Soffer President & CEO Soffer Organization Cynthia Sunseri, Secretary, EEF Board Howard Hanna Real Estate Services Paul R. Vittone Head of Private Equity Investments Bank of New York Mellon Wealth Management Nancy D. Washington, PhD Chair, Allegheny Housing Rehabilitation Corporation Bruce Wiegand Former President/CEO & General Counsel, Phillips Companies Aldo Zini President & CEO, Aethon, Inc.
Lawton Snyder Chief Executive Officer Eye & Ear Foundation
In 2016, I met with Drs. Jonas Johnson and José-Alain Sahel to discuss how the Eye & Ear Foundation could help make a significant impact in patient care. Both Chairmen impressed me with very ambitious goals and detailed strategies to build and grow research to advance care. At the time, Dr. Sahel had just arrived at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC. Still, he realized a tremendous opportunity to build the most significant research enterprise in the world here in Pittsburgh while establishing a collaboration agreement with the institute he founded in Paris ten years prior. The plan would include more than doubling the research teams and adding to an already robust clinical team. Collaborative tasks forces would be structured to tackle the biggest problems in vision loss, such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, inherited degenerative retinal disease, corneal blindness, optic nerve damage, and cortical vision loss. Dr. Johnson was very focused on growing and developing better strategies to care for survivors of head neck cancer through a clinical and research-based initiative he established in collaboration with Dr. Marci Nilson, called Survivorship. He also wanted to continue his focus on getting the currently developed molecules to treat tinnitus to market and continuing to grow the surgical innovation enterprise called Pittsburgh CREATES. At the same time, the Department was also consolidating all of the research efforts regarding hearing, which would become the Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, led by Director of Research Dr. Thanos Tzounopoulos. These discussions with the Chairmen of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology led to a plan organized by the Eye & Ear Foundation Board of Directors Development Committee to embark on our first-ever capital campaign, New Horizons for Care, to raise $80 million, which was announced publicly early in 2021. In this Annual Report, I am proud to announce that with our donors’ many contributions and a recent extremely generous donation from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, our fundraising efforts now total $54 million. With our goal in reach, we look forward to sharing the many exciting advances you can expect from your continued contributions with continued updates like this report.
WORLD-RENOWNED RESEARCH AND PATIENT CARE
José-Alain Sahel, MD Distinguished Professor and Chairman Department of Ophthalmology The Eye & Ear Foundation Endowed Chair at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Exceptional Class Professor, Sorbonne University, Paris The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC continues to focus on developing cutting-edge care and ensuring that all populations can access our services and innovations. The support of philanthropies, spearheaded by the Eye & Ear Foundation, is at the core and often at the origin of the progress and achievements of these past years. In terms of access, the expansion of the Guerilla Eye Service, the partnership with Vision to Learn, Mission of Mercy, and the Essilor Foundation, and the recruitment of a patient advocate within the Department are facilitating the delivery of care for the underserved and underinsured, as this number has considerably increased over the past 18 months. In addition to providing state-of-the-art management of complex cases and quality surgery, we are advancing the field through a variety of ambitious, multidisciplinary programs, such as: stem cell therapy of corneal blindness (the Funderburgh project), gene therapies for rare diseases and age-related macular degeneration, high-resolution clinical imaging of the eye, drug delivery to the eye, artificial intelligence, brain stimulation in the blind, and low vision research integrating multiple teams and technologies around patients’ needs. Our teams, despite and beyond the current difficult times, are committed to enhancing vision for all. Let me conclude by quoting this dialogue between Ambroise Paré, a founder of modern surgery, and the King of France, Charles IX: I hope, said Charles, you’re going to better treat your King than poor people! No, Sire, it is impossible! And why? Because poor people, I treat them like Kings!”
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Department of Ophthalmology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2021 KEY RESEARCH AREAS •Age Related Macular Degeneration •Cornea •Cortical Vision •Glaucoma •Improving Care for Everyone • Inherited Retinal Degenerative Conditions •Optic Nerve Regeneration
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Jonas T. Johnson, MD, FACS Distinguished Service Professor and Chairman Department of Otolaryngology The Dr. Eugene N. Myers Endowed Chair at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
The Department of Otolaryngology’s primary mission is to serve our community through the provision of high-quality otolaryngologic care. We do this in an environment of education and research. As you know, we educate medical students, residents and, train otolaryngologists in subspecialty care and provide continued medical education for many practicing physicians nationwide. We are deeply involved in basic and clinical research projects, which you will have read about in other Foundation publications throughout the year. The Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, Pittsburgh CREATES, and the Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Clinic have all experienced growth and success this year. We look forward to more promising developments that will improve the care we can offer patients. We are highly motivated toward improving access to clinical care for all members of our community. Disparities in the provision of healthcare exist. Our team is actively engaged in research to better understand these disparities while seeking solutions to improved healthcare for all. The Department remains committed to meeting the diverse needs of the patients in our care. We know that health is determined by social structures and public policies as much as it is by individual wellness. Otolaryngology has benefited in terms of our research, training, and clinical care through enhanced private philanthropy as well as multiple grants from local and national foundations and organizations. We are committed to optimizing the use of every dollar made available to further these causes. We are forever grateful for support from both the public and private sectors.
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Department of Otolaryngology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
2021 KEY RESEARCH AREAS •Balance and Voice Disorders •Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship •Hearing Loss •Sino-Nasal and Allergies •Tinnitus • Surgical Training, Innnovation, & Research
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EYE & EAR SUPPORTERS FISCAL YEAR 2021 JULY 2020 THROUGH JUNE 2021
The Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh gratefully recognizes the individuals, organizations, trusts, and foundations, whose generosity allows us to bring new science for new solutions to people with diseases and disorders of the eye, ear, nose throat, head, and neck. In the fiscal year 2021, our philanthropic support reached $10,321,066.99 in dollars raised, with 799 total gifts to fund the research and academic efforts for the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This support forges exciting new collaborations among scientists, researchers, and physicians, helping to build an innovative model of medicine. Thank you for your generosity!
CHAIRMEN CIRCLE DONORS The Chairmen Circle recognizes and celebrates our especially generous donors who have contributed $1,000 and over during our fiscal year 2021.
$1,000,000+ Henry L. Hillman Foundation $250,000 - $499,999 English, Bonter, Mitchell Foundation Sheila and Milton+ Fine Louella Snyder† Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust at PNC Foundation & Charitable Trusts $100,000 - $249,999 BrightFocus Foundation Jack Buncher Foundation E. Ronald and Diann Salvitti Herbert and Barbara Shear Bruce and Barbara Wiegand $50,000 - $99,999 Dick and Rhodora Barton Louis and Dorothy Fox Horne Trust Sheldon Marstine Martin and Susan McGuinn Steve and Marian Mosites Family Foundation John and Mary Nice $25,000 - $49,999 Youssef Berrada Glenn Bost The Anne L. and George H. Clapp Charitable & Educational Trust Thomas and Mary Donahoe George Fechter and Christine Fulton Gerard M. Moufflet B. Gordon and Kennedy Nelson
$10,000 - $24,999 Anonymous Givers James and Sarah Bregenser Patricia and James Cayne ENT & Allergy Specialists of WPA, P.C. John and Diane Fisher Barry Hirsch and Jean Harwick Jonas and Janis Johnson Martha Lockhart Mason Trust William H. Merwin Diana Mrvos and Frank Rath Albert and Eileen Muse Susan Oberg Lane John and Cathy Pelusi Guy and Leslie Petruzzelli David R. Rogerson José-Alain and Annie Sahel Diana Shoemaker Smith Family Charitable Fund Richard G. and Barbara A. Snyder General Charity Fund David and Sandra Snyder John and Patricia Staley William and Saundra Stout Western Pennsylvania Medical Eye Bank Foundation Betty Lou Yount Trust $5,000 - $9,999 Margaret and William Barati Neal and Rosetta Beckford Henry and Charlotte Beukema Charles and Jill Brodbeck Carl and Beth Campbell Charles C. Cohen and Michele McKenney
Donahue Family Foundation, Inc. Edith H. Fisher Roxana Fu Timothy and Elizabeth Katen Lockhart Trust Jeffrey Markel and Carol Robinson Lewis and Donna Patterson The Pittsburgh Foundation Anna M. Pou Donald & Sylvia Robinson Family Foundation Huberta S. Siciliano Cynthia and David Sunseri S. Tonya Stefko and Jeffrey T. Turner Nancy D. Washington $1,000 - $4,999 Anonymous Giver Armstrong County Community Foundation Moises A. Arriaga Ruth and Robert Auld Jennifer K. Berge Albert and Barbara Biglan Richard and Miriam Bowers Joseph and Carol Cambridge Patricia H. Campbell Reynolds and Linda Clark Douglas and Laura Dick David and Carol Eibling Andrew and Andrea Eller Joseph and Mary Francis Rohan and Mary Ganguli Lawrence and Ina Gumberg Eden Hall Foundation as directed by Laura Fisher Neil and Joyce Hay-Roe
Barry Schaitkin Carole and Daniel Kamin John and Penny Kramer David and Diane Laughlin Anne Lewis Spyros Macris Jane Masters Nancy McDonald Daniel E. McLain Pamela Meadowcroft Holland Eugene and Barbara Myers Network For Good John and Rosemarie Parse Richard and Miriam Rader Timothy Ritz Mary and Edward Schellhammer Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. Lawton and Susan Snyder Garrett and Ruth Stauffer Isabel C. Stewart D. Fred and Judith Stewart Glen Timerman Edmond and Comly Watters Evan and Laura Waxman Susan Wehar Western Pennsylvania Lions Hearing Foundation Charles E. Yankel Sam and Anne Zacharias Jason Zhu Aldo and Kathryn Zini Zissu Family Foundation Thomas E. Zuck
† Deceased
EVERY CONTRIBUTION, NO MATTER THE SIZE, HELPS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH. The Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh is a non-profit 501 (C)(3) organization. The Foundation solely supports the educational and research efforts of the Departments of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. To learn more about the Foundation’s mission or current research advances, please call the Eye & Ear Foundation at 412-864-1300 or visit eyeandear.org. Your gift makes a difference! The Faculty in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and the Foundation staff are incredibly grateful for your support. 6
$500 - $999 Sheila A. Apicella Lawrence Bagley Michele and Daniel Bursick Robert and Louise Byer Denise Capurso Charles and Ann Catlett James W. Christy Michael and Keith Clauson Jennifer and Ryan Davis The Eginton Family Charitable Fund Elaine and Mark Ehalt Caroline and Clement Erbmann Kim and Michael Evans Danforth and Nancy Fales Edwin & Wilma Fogel Family Bruce S. Gebhardt Racelle and Morton Goldstein Richard F. Green Martha Hildebrandt and Karl Olsen Robert J. Hines Sara Horsman James O. Irwin Charles H. King Lois M. Kreitzer Terry A. Lerman Jane Love and James McGraw Carlo Luciano Richard and Martha Masson NexTier Bank Eileen and Jeffrey Paul Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, Inc. Peter D. Post V.K. And Rani Raju Stephen Sakumoto David E. Scopa Lester F. Shapiro Barry and Arlene Sokolow Southwestern Pennsylvania Eye Center Barbara and Louis Steiner Richard and Thea Stover Gary and Monica Tener Charles and Jacqueline Territo Paul and Tara Vittone Ellen C. Walton James and Beverly Withiam $100 - $499 Travis Abbott Mary M. Aikins George Albrecht Amerikohl Aggregates, Inc. Anonymous Givers (4) Jeffrey Arnold Sabine Aronson George and Suzanne Ashman Linda and George Austin Elizabeth M. Austin Michael and Carol Azar Alice F. Backer Dorothy and George Beckwith Robert Behler Thomas Bennett Judy A. Bentz Constance A. Bentzen
Alice Berkey Robin J. Bernstein Douglas M. Bevan Patricia K. Boltz Robert and Paula Bowersox Paul Bradigan Virginia M. Brasuk Mary Ann and John Brenkus Leonard Brezarich Thomas M. Brunner James Buchin Burnham Lions Club Bradley and Paula Butler Frank Calandra Connie B. Cantor Kendra K. Carney Anderl Margaretha Casselbrant David N. Clark Ian and Toni Conner Peter and Deirdre Corte Ada Davis and Joseph Spirer Philip A. Delozier William J. Dempsey Deepinder Dhaliwal and Sanjiv Singh William and Laurelee Dickerson Patricia Dimmock Edward Douthett Emerald Coast ENT Ess NexTier Insurance Group Estate of Sarah F. Graf Bruce D. Evans Clouse Family Sylvia F. Fischer Lois and Ron Folino Carl B. Frankel Graham Fulghum Martha L. Funderburgh Paul and Molly Gabos Marjorie A. Gallardy James and Joy Galvanek Mary Louise Gantz The Gasiewicz Family Fund Frank and Terri Genovese Catherine and Wayne Gerhold George J. Gerneth Carole and Marcus Gottlieb Ralph E. Grabowsky Elizabeth Graf Jeffrey Gross and Jessica Wandelt Marjorie C. Gross Jeffrey and Joanne Hall Rosanne I. Harrison Stan and Patricia Hasselbusch Henrietta and Jim Hays Beverly and William Heimberger Charles J. Henderson Henry P. Hoffstot Darren Hoover Gary and Beth Hopen David and Louise Horvath Samantha Hryciuk Dean E. Hu Kenneth Isaacson Gary Johnson Glenn and Sara Johnson Linda M. Kaib
Louis and Nancy Keller Arthur J. Kerr Sandra and Ronald Kiersarsky Hong Kim Glenn P. Kimball Stefi Kirschner and Gilbert Schneider Lois W. Kiselica Sandra L. Klinzing Verne and Mary Koch Adriana and Edward Kocur Dorothy Kovacevic Albert and Marlene Lacanic Henrietta G. Lelis David and Charlotte Lemley Frank and Carol Lipchick Ruth and Frank Lowe Sherri Maddick Judith A. Malloy Vincent Manetti Rudolph J. Marshalek Edward and Mary Matuskowitz Anne and William McConnel William and Sibby McCrady Susan M. McGregor Laine Thelma J. Meacci Marilyn Meyer Edward and Evelyn Molchan Samuel D. Morrison Robert and Mary Moses Mt. Lebanon Lions Club Mt. Lebanon Community Endowment Jay Muchnick Charles and Courtney Muse James and Jennifer Muse Frank and Jeannie Nedwidek Dan Nedwidek Carl Nilsen Daniel E. O’Hara Ann O’Leary Kathy J. Olsen Andrew Orochena Linda and Michael Orsini Otto Osterried Stephen and Kristen Pakela Mark and Jill Palmer Steven M. Parnes Michael and Kathleen Pennesi Kathleen Perod Michael and Carol Perry Andrew and Kathleen Petcash Scott and Susan Portnoy Mildred M. Posvar Elaine Preston Richard and Vera Purcell Vesna Rapic-Otrin Maryanne Reed Daniel P. Reilly Mildred A. Rendulic Robert and Marilyn Roither Loren and Ellen Roth Farrell and Nancy Rubenstein Peter A. Rubinsky Deborah and David Rusnak Francis Russo Karl and Kathleen Salesi Jeffrey and Norma Samide
Loreen and Seymour Schafer Mikell C. Schenck Linda Schumacher Feero Rose Scilla Robert J. Sechan William C. Seefeld and Marguerite Woodworth Sewickley Ridge Care Committee Donald and Autumn Seyler John and Clelia Sheppard J. Jack Sherman Yan Sheykhet Paul Shuckett Anita P. Shuttleworth Vicki and Frank Simonetta John J. Skowvron Charles and Patricia Slater Andrew and Mary Beth Sloan Mark and Carolyn Snyder Michael D. Snyder James J. Snyder Arthur and Florita Sonnenklar Craig R. Stauffer William and Rose Strickland Choloappadi and Nirmala Sundar-Raj Shivalingappa and Sudha Swamynathan Daniel R. Talbot Jan V. Tarasi Ralph and Sharon Tarter Roseann Thomas Ann E. Thompson Stephen J. Tonsor and Susan Kalisz David Treworgy Frances J. Urban Valley Lines, Inc. Victor Vandewater Harry M. VanHoudnos Joseph A. Vater John and Donna Viehman Iris A. Walker John L. Wandrisco Joyce Z. Werner Steven and Susan Wesmiller James and Marilew Wetzel Peggy and Karl Williams Martin and Eileen Winkler Robert and Nancy Worstell Xudong Wu Michael and Carol Yahr Cathy R. Zamba Michelle and Lee Zimmer John W. Zimmerman
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The Lifetime Giving Society represents the highest level of giving to the Eye & Ear Foundation and the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh. We sincerely appreciate those who have stayed dedicated to the Foundation’s mission.
LIFETIME GIVING SOCIETY FINDING A CURE LEVEL $1,000,000+ Anonymous Givers (2) Alice and James Beckwith† Jack Buncher Foundation Louis and Dorothy Fox Henry L. Hillman Family Foundation Estate of Virginia Huban Richard King Mellon Foundation Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. E. Ronald and Diann Salvitti Louella and Charles Snyder† UPMC Enterprises Bruce and Barbara Wiegand DISCOVERY LEVEL $500,000 - $999,999 BrightFocus Foundation Campbell Foundation English, Bonter, Mitchell Foundation Sheila and Milton† Fine Estate of Anne M. Guenther Eden Hall Foundation Horne Trust Steve and Marian Mosites The Pittsburgh Foundation Herbert and Barbara Shear Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust at PNC Foundation & Charitable Trusts Western Pennsylvania Medical Eye Bank Foundation PNC Foundation & Charitable Trusts INNOVATION LEVEL $250,000 - $499,999 Margaret “Ritchie” Battle Foundation for Fighting Blindness Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation Albert and Eileen Muse Douglas and Julie Newton
COLLABORATION LEVEL $100,000 - $249,999 Abgenix Anonymous Givers (3) Youssef Berrada William† and L. Spencer Boyd Mark Cuban Gary and Victoria Frenette Hearst Foundation Jonas and Janis Johnson Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. Ladies Hospital Aid Society of Western PA Sheldon Marstine Martin and Susan McGuinn Diana Mrvos and Frank Rath Eugene and Barbara Myers John and Mary Nice Joseph and Eve Novak† PA Lions Sight Conservation and Eye Research Foundation PNC Charitable Trust Committee Joel and Carole Schuman Huberta S. Siciliano Nancy L. Snyderman Violet L. Soffer† J. Barry and Lenore Stout† Usher F1 Collaborative, Inc. Betty Lou Yount Trust RESEARCH LEVEL $50,000 - $99,999 Allergan, Inc. American Cancer Society Anonymous Givers (2) Henry and Charlotte Beukema Albert and Barbara Biglan Katherine and David Bradley James and Sarah Bregenser Charles and Jill Brodbeck Carl and Beth Campbell The Anne L. and George H. Clapp
EDUCATION LEVEL $25,000 - $49,999 Anonymous Giver Yanna Avramidis Neal S. Beckford
Glenn Bost Boston Pediatric Neurosurgical Foundation Patricia and James Cayne C. Y. Chang Charles Cohen and Michele McKenney Barry Schaitkin David and Carol Eibling George Fechter and Christine Fulton Berrylin J. Ferguson† FISA Foundation Lawrence and Ina Gumberg Hillman Family Foundations Barry Hirsch and Jean Harwick Richard Hood† Howard Hughes Medical Institute Roy A. Hunt Foundation Torrence M. Hunt† Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. Lockhart Trust Love Family Foundation Jeffrey Markel and Carol Robinson McAuley Ministries Medrobotics Corporation Marlee and James Myers Myrtle Forsha Memorial Trust Susan Oberg Lane Helen O’Masta† Lewis and Donna Patterson William H. Rea† James S. Reilly and Barbara Kip Pamela R. Schanwald and James Keen William and Saundra Stout United States Steel Foundation Inc. Western Pennsylvania Lions Hearing Foundation John A. Zitelli
† Deceased
THE SCIENCE & SOLUTIONS SOCIETY
MEMORIAL DONATIONS
In 2010 the Eye & Ear Foundation established the Science & Solutions Society to honor those individuals who have made a commitment to the Foundation through a planned estate gift.
The Eye & Ear Foundation received donations in fiscal year 2020 to honor the memory of the following:
At this time, we would like to recognize the following members of our Science and Solutions Society. Their generosity ensures that the Eye & Ear Foundation continues to provide the support needed to advance the research and academic efforts of the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Anonymous Donor William and Margaret Barati Albert and Barbara Biglan Victor and Jody Burdell Sheila Fine Sylvia Fischer Barbara Giaquinto Thomas and Loretta Hanwell
Clarence Klaus Howard Perlow and Nyoka White Paul Rafail Glenwood Scott Ralph Tarter Gayle Tissue and Yiannis Kaloyeropoulos David Wagner
Should you wish to add the Eye & Ear Foundation to your estate plans, please contact us at 412.864.1300.
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Charitable & Educational Trust Davis Estate DePuy Synthes Power Tools Thomas and Mary Donahoe Michael and Kim Evans The Fine Foundation John and Diane Fisher Glaucoma Research Association of Boston Timothy and Elizabeth Katen Ruth L. Kuschmierz Martha Lockhart Mason Trust Jane P. Masters Nancy McDonald Mary T. Mitskavich Gerard M. Moufflet B. Gordon and Kennedy Nelson John and Cathy Pelusi Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation Charles and Jo Ann Queenan V.K. and Rani Raju Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation Donald & Sylvia Robinson Family Foundation José-Alain and Annie Sahel Dorothy Sarni† Diana Shoemaker Richard G. and Barbara A. Snyder General Charity Fund Charles and Rhoda Steiner T. Philip Stout† Thomas A. Wandrisco Nancy D. Washington Aldo and Kathryn Zini
Phyllis H. Albright Robert M. Averback Lucille Bernard Mary Bernard Elizabeth Billings George Buerger Bernita Buncher Milton Eisner Berrylin J. Ferguson Norman C. Fogel Jenifer Fruit James L. Funderburgh Donna Grabowsky Elvira P. Green Frederick Green Rose Harkins Elizabeth A. Juris Phyllis Kramer
Rose C. Krebs Pearl Menchel Joseph F. Novak Joseph Olsen Beatriz Osterried Mildred Plack Ann Polochak Kenneth T. Richardson Robert S. Ross Jack Schimmel Jean Slomkowski Charles H. Snyder Louella Snyder Violet L. Soffer John M. Srsic Daniel C. Vittone Jacob Weinstein Mary M. Zuck
THE EYE & EAR FOUNDATION’S NEW HORIZONS FOR CARE CAMPAIGN The Eye & Ear Foundation (EEF) is a public, non-profit organization that supports the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Its mission is to advance cutting-edge academic and research efforts with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient care. EEF launched the $80 Million Campaign in 2016 and has reached over its halfway point, $52 Million. According to the Eye & Ear Foundation CEO Lawton Snyder, the New Horizons for Care Campaign responds to the community’s needs to address the increasing number of people affected by age-related conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and hearing loss. As the two academic research Departments are growing, “We saw an opportunity for Pittsburgh to be a world leader in finding new ways to advance care, first in our backyard, and ultimately the rest of the world. By raising and distributing philanthropic dollars to the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, the Foundation encourages individuals, foundations, and businesses to support enhancing and advancing care for people with diseases and disorders of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head, and neck,” says Snyder. The Foundation intends to complete its Campaign by the end of 2023.
Ophthalmology’s goals, A New Vision for Pittsburgh and Beyond, were inspired by the arrival of Department Chairman José-Alain Sahel, MD, to Pittsburgh in 2016. Vision degeneration affects nearly everyone in one form or another as they age, and the number of individuals with visual impairments is expected to triple by 2050. Places like Pittsburgh, with its aging population, will be significantly affected by this epidemic of vision loss. “Finding cures for the most common eye ailments and solutions to rare diseases and impairment due to injury is equally important,” Dr. Sahel stated. His teams work on nearly every aspect of blindness, from common conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration to regenerative therapies and engineering artificial retinas and the hardware and software that feeds them information. “We are driven by helping patients. It starts with identifying conditions among patients, which flows into using research to find solutions, creating new therapies and devices, commercializing those advancements, and ultimately bringing them back to the patient by enabling access to everyone,” emphasizes Dr. Sahel.
The Department of Otolaryngology has a robust national and international presence. Department Chairman Jonas T. Johnson, MD, and his goals are focused on AdvancemENTs in Patient Care. As described in a report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, nearly 50 % of people older than 60 have hearing loss. As more people live longer, these numbers are expected to grow, from 46 million in 2014 to 82 million in 2040. Millions of people with hearing loss can potentially benefit from intervention. With this and other aspects of our specialty’s research, we will include socially disadvantaged individuals in our work. The Department of Otolaryngology is recognized for excellence in medical training, minimally invasive surgery, and hearing loss research and treatment. Dr. Johnson plans to build upon these strengths by creating new opportunities for excellence, developing new technologies and advancements in surgery, building our translational research capabilities, and personalizing care for every individual patient. “Advances in patient care are dependent upon research. Good research leads to improved treatment options,” states Dr. Johnson.
To learn more details about the Eye & Ear Foundation campaign, visit eyeandear.org, or call the Foundation office at 412-864-1300, or request information from campaign@eyeandear.org.
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The Eye & Ear Foundation’s New Horizons for Care Campaign responds to the community’s needs to address the increasing number of people affected by age-related conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and hearing loss. EEF launched the $80 Million Campaign in 2016 and has reached over its halfway point, $53.9 Million. To learn more details about the Eye & Ear Foundation campaign, visit eyeandear.org, or call the Foundation office at 412-864-1300, or request information from campaign@eyeandear.org
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The Eye & Ear Foundation, a non-profit 501(C)(3), is the sole support organization for the education and research efforts of Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh.