UW Eye Research Institute
Members of the RRF Board—John C. Dawson, Jr., L. Henry Gissel, Jr., Walter H. Helmerich, with his wife Peggy, Bettie Harding Lee, F. Ames Smith, and R. Malcolm Wooley—attended the weekend’s events, traveling from Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas to participate. In addition, Gil and Dana Petri, friends of the Retina Research Foundation, and Roger Q. Beck and Ron Webster of the Houston law firm FizerBeck joined the group. Carolyn Mata and Patricia Wilson, Dr. McPherson’s staff members at the RRF and in her clinical office, respectively, provided key support during the planning and execution of the events.
John Dawson, Jr., Ron Webster, Roger Beck, and David Walsh meet.
RRF friends Gil and Dana Petri, Bettie Harding Lee, and F. Ames Smith enjoy the event.
Why would busy people from halfway across the country devote a weekend of their free time to come to Madison to attend scientific talks and social events? First, the mission of the Retina Research Foundation is to reduce blindness due to retinal disease by funding programs in research and education; the mission of the ERI is to bring together researchers and scholars from diverse scientific, medical and other academic backgrounds committed to increasing the understanding of normal vision and of eye diseases. The two organizations clearly speak the same language and are committed to the same goals.
Peggy and Walter Helmerich at dinner.
RRF’s R. Malcolm Wooley meets UW Provost Pat Farrell, Val Johnson, and Don Gray.
Second, the RRF and the ERI both understand that diseases know no geographical boundaries and neither will their cures. Both organizations foster partnerships to advance research into vision-threatening conditions, and the philanthropy of the RRF and the outstanding research of UW’s vision scientists form a strong symbiotic match.
Alice McPherson, MD, and UW Chancellor John Wiley renew their acquaintance.
In addition, the RRF has provided significant grant support to UW scientists over many years, and has endowed several professorships and chairs at the UW. The weekend’s events provided a unique opportunity for the RRF members to meet some of the scientists they have funded, and to have one-on-one conversations with them about their work and their scientific goals—and for the scientists to get to know the people who help to provide financial support for their work.
The UW ERI currently holds three professorships supported by the RRF. Professorships are named for the RRF donors who created them: Edwin and Dorothy Gamewell, Rebecca Meyer Brown, and M.D. Matthews. In addition, an endowed chair, known as the Retina Research Foundation Emmett A. Humble Distinguished Directorship, supports the research of the Eye Research Institute’s director. In addition to these awards, the RRF has consistently provided well over $100,000 each year in competitive grant awards to UW faculty studying various aspects of retinal disease.
Shortly after the RRF group’s arrival on Friday afternoon, guests gathered for a reception and formal dinner at the Maple Bluff Country Club. Maple Bluff Country Club holds a special place in the heart of Dr. McPherson, who met her late husband, Tony Mierzwa, at the Club. Tony was the Club’s golf pro from 1939 to 1959. A plaque in his memory was presented to Dr. McPherson prior to the reception to be installed in the Club’s Pro Shop. ...(Next)(Previous)