We are thrilled to announce Hope for Vision's 2008 Visionary Grant recipients.  These grants support innovative scientific research to find treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases, a group of genetic, blinding diseases like Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), Macular Degeneration and Usher’s Syndrome. Thanks to your generosity Hope for Vision awarded over $1.2 million to leading vision researchers this past year. 

You can learn more about Hope for Vision's Visionary Scientists by clicking here.

In addition, Hope for Vision has been working with the Elden Family to fund research specifically for the Usher IIIa disease. Usher IIIa is a progressive combination of hearing and vision loss that is usually diagnosed in the second decade of life.  Richard Elden, with the assistance of his daughter, Cynthia Elden (an Usher IIIa patient), his son, Thomas Elden and David A. Saperstein, MD, a retina physician with specific research interests in inherited retinal disease, have put together a team of some of the best retina researchers in the world to focus on Usher IIIa disease.  These researchers are required to attend working group meetings at least 2 times per year to discuss and share all of their work with one another.  By sharing data, reagents, animals and expertise in real time rather than after publication, the group has already made significant advances in the understanding and potential treatment of Usher III. 

To learn more about the Usher III Initiative, click here.

On Saturday, April 25th, the Hope for Vision student organization at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana will be holding the first annual iWalk and 5K Run for Sight.  Click here for more information, to register or to make a pledge of support.

What makes this event particularly interesting is that you can register for "The Experience" - a way to gain first-hand experience of what it is like to to have a retinal degenerative disease.  If you register for the Experience as a "visually impared" walker, you will be given a special pair of glasses to simulate the low-vision due to a retinal degenerative disease.  Or you could register as a "guide" and walk with an "impaired person" through the whole course.

The walk is spearheaded by Ashley Soriano, a UIUC student who has retinitis pigementosa.  You can check out Ahsley's personal iWalk fundraising page by clicking here.

There are already over 70 participants walking or running and a wonderful day of great food and entertainment planned.  Registration is $15, and you can set up your own personal fundraising page on the iWalk website.  Click here to get started.

On January 30, 2009, HFV Founder and Chairman Isaac Lidsky received the Individual Louis Braille Award and was the keynote speaker at the 49th Annual Louis Braille Awards Ceremony in Philadelphia.  This annual event hosted by the Associated Services for the Blind (ASB) honors outstanding individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions on behalf of those who are blind or visually impaired.  Past Individual Louis Braille Award recipients include Carl Augusto, President of the American Foundation for the Blind; country singer Ronnie Milsap;  Russell Redenbaugh, a managing partner at Kairos, Inc. and advocate on the U.S. Commission for Civil Rights; and, Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.

Isaac summed up the event perfectly in his remarks, "Our goal today is nothing short of meaningful, independent, fulfilled lived for the blind: a world in which blind people can achieve anything that they want to, anything that a sighted person could do."

Click here for pictures from the event.

Hope for Vision’s Miami Community of Hope hosted its 13th Annual Party with A Purpose on Saturday, September 27th at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami.  Close to $1 million was raised to support critical scientific research to find cures and treatments for blinding diseases. 

Nearly 700 guests enjoyed a wonderful evening that included: delicious hors d’oeuvres served up by 19 renowned local chefs; a silent auction with over 100 exciting items; and fantastic live music and dancing.  You can view photos from the event by clicking here.

During the program, Hope for Vision’s Founder and Chairman Isaac Lidsky announced the launch of Hope for Vision’s 20/20 Campaign.  The campaign has four main goals: to make 20/20 vision a reality for the millions affected by blinding disease; to raise $20 million by the year 2020; to provide “20/20” grants to 20 up and coming researchers; and to increase HFV’s base of supporters twenty-fold.

In addition, Hope for Vision was proud to announce the extremely generous $1million gift from Adrienne Arsht, Hope for Vision’s Honorary Humanitarian, to create the Adrienne Arsht Hope for Vision Retinal Degeneration Research Laboratory at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami.

The evening was also a heartfelt tribute to Hope for Vision’s 2008 Honorees: Good Will Ambassador, Donna E. Shalala, President, University of Miami; 2008 Honoree, Michael Hanzman, Esq.; Humanitarian, Mark Siegler, M.D., FACP, Professor, Director MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics; and Scientist of the Year, Byron  L. Lam, M.D., Director Florida Inherited Eye Disease Project Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.