Retina Foundation Announces 2023 Visionary Luncheon and Sets $1 Million Fundraising Goal

Dallas-based organization is hosting its annual luncheon celebrating its mission to preserve and restore sight with the leadership of renowned Dallas philanthropists.

Left to right: Retina Foundation chief executive and medical officer, Karl Csaky, MD, PhD; Visionary Luncheon Chairs, Steve and Barbara Durham; Retina Foundation board chair, Lou Grabowsky.

DALLAS – The Dallas-based Retina Foundation of the Southwest – the world-class medical research organization committed to vision loss prevention and sight restoration – announced its Visionary Luncheon Chairs, Steve and Barbara Durham, Honorary Chair Douglas Hawthorne, as well as its $1 million fundraising goal during a Visionary Luncheon Launch Party hosted by Margot Perot at Perot Companies. The luncheon, which takes place at the Hilton Anatole on May 18, will also feature Thomas C. Leppert.

The launch party kicked off with a video of Jeanne Klein sharing her Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) diagnosis and how the Retina Foundation has given her hope for the future. The Retina Foundation’s research and clinical efforts focus on retinal diseases and disorders, specifically AMD, inherited retinal diseases, and pediatric disorders like Amblyopia. Lou Grabowsky, board chair, shared that the Foundation is on a journey to stop vision loss through its research-based, patient-centered, expedited approach. The 2023 luncheon theme is, “The places you’ll see! Vision is our destination.”

Long-time Dallas philanthropists, Steve, and Barbara Durham have focused their work on entrepreneurship, health, and the arts for decades. Their support of the Retina Foundation includes the expansion of the medical director team and continued pursuit of innovative research that improves the quality of life for patients around the world.

Dr. Karl Csaky speaking on the Retina Foundation’s breakthroughs.

“We’re sincerely grateful for Steve and Barbara Durham’s commitment to not only the mission of the Foundation, but their willingness to engage other philanthropists in a meaningful way,” said Karl Csaky, MD, PhD, chief executive and medical officer of the Retina Foundation of the Southwest.

“The Durham’s invaluable support, combined with the energy, insight, and inspiration, will undoubtedly ignite an unforgettable fundraising experience for The Retina Foundation, including our researchers and leaders, but most importantly, our patients. Those who need us – all of us – most,” he said.

Chairs Steve and Barbara Durham announcing this year’s fundraising goals.

The luncheon’s featured speaker, Thomas C. Leppert, will highlight transformational innovations and collaborative ventures, as well as build upon Dallas’ contributions to biomedical advancements. An avid advocate for those facing chronic disease, especially in underserved communities, Leppert is dedicated to increasing awareness of health resources to those who need it as well as strengthening educational and economic development in those communities.

During the event, The Hunt Family Visionary Award will be presented to a deserving recipient for unwavering support in the Foundation’s mission to prevent vision loss and restore sight through innovative research, education, and treatment.

Visionary Luncheon tickets are available starting at $300. Sponsorships for the Visionary Luncheon are available and include the following:

• Inventor – $100,000

• Innovator – $50,000

• Transformer – 25,000

• VIP Reception – $15,000

• Accelerator – $10,000

• Valet Sponsor – $10,000

• Explorer – $5,000

These sponsorship opportunities offer premium benefits including an exclusive dinner with the foundation’s CEO, sponsor recognition at the luncheon, and inclusion in luncheon materials.

Current sponsors include: Durham Family Foundation, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Judy and Harold Kaye, Jennifer and Bill Voss, Lou and Donna Grabowsky, Laurie and Doug Dotter, Dr. and Mrs. W. L. Hutton, Douglas D. Hawthorne, LFACHE, Lottye and Bobby Lyle, Bobbi and Richard Massman, Drs. Susanna and James Merritt, The Rosewood Corporation, Amegy Bank, Sue and Pryor Blackwell, Dr. David and Sandra Callanan, Eva, and Karl Csaky, Vivian and Richard Schaar, Dr. Rand and Karen Spencer, Texas Retina Associates, and Tia and Antonio Tomlin.

For more information about the event, tickets, and sponsorship details, please click the link https://retinafoundation.muradbid.com or contact Amy Johnson ajohnson@retinafoundation.org.

ABOUT THE RETINA FOUNDATION: The uniquely nimble, innovative, and patient-focused model of the Retina Foundation yields better solutions that reach patients in less time in order to preserve and restore vision. A global leader in advanced medical research for retinal diseases and disorders, the Retina Foundation does not charge patients. The Retina Foundation is led by Karl Csaky, MD, PhD, Chief Executive and Medical Officer, Retina Foundation of the Southwest; T. Boone Pickens Director, Molecular Ophthalmology Laboratory; and Director, Clinical Center of Innovation for AMD. Learn more at www.retinafoundation.org.