SupportSight Philadelphia Region

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SupportSight Educational Seminars Provide Hope for Macular Degeneration Patients and Their Families

Philadelphia, September 25 and October 1, 2005

The Macula Vision Research Foundation has developed a grassroots seminar program in 18 cities throughout the country, and recently, the locally-based organization launched in Philadelphia. The seminars are developed to help patients and their loved ones cope with the devastating diagnosis of macular degeneration, and are offered free and to the public.

Featuring the region’s top retina specialists, the SupportSight educational seminars were offered over two consecutive Saturdays, twice each day, in eight locations. The schedule was designed to reach out to people all across the Philadelphia area, and to offer convenient times and locations in order to maximize attendance. Seminars were held on Saturday, September 24 and Saturday, October 1, in: Wynnewood; West Chester; Northeast Philadelphia; Center City Philadelphia; Elkins Park; Blue Bell; and Voorhees, NJ.

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible loss of central vision in those over the age of 50, affects more than 15 million Americans. At each SupportSight educational seminar, retina specialists provide information about macular degeneration and progress being made in research and treatment, answer audience questions and dispel myths about the disease. Featured physicians included: Jay Federman, M.D., Richard S. Kaiser, M.D., Robert Kleiner, M.D., Jeff Lipkowitz, M.D., J. Arch McNamara, M.D., Carl H. Park, M.D., Bruce Saran, M.D., and Arunan Sivalingam, M.D.

“SupportSight services can help provide hope for patients with macular degeneration. By bringing together top retina experts, low vision aid specialists and those successfully living with the disease, we have been able to create a first-of-its-kind community resource,” said Herbert Lotman, who founded MVRF with his wife Karen in 1998, after Karen was diagnosed with macular degeneration.

“A diagnosis of macular degeneration can leave patients and their loved ones bewildered. The SupportSight programs offer patients the opportunity to learn more about the disease and find the hope and support that they need,” said Alexander J. Brucker, M.D., MVRF SupportSight Advisor and Professor of Ophthalmology at Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania.

MVRF SupportSight programs have helped over 15,000 patients and their loved ones across the country. Early on, MVRF discovered that there was a lack of awareness, understanding, education and support around this issue and worked to fill this void through the creation of its SupportSight program. Today, SupportSight has grown into a national program that is currently offered in 23 cities throughout the country including Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Small regional support groups meet monthly.

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SupportSight

Macula Vision Research Foundation SupportSight
Five Tower Bridge
300 Barr Harbor Drive, Suite 600
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2984

Please call Lea Bramnick
Toll free 1-866-462-2852
1-866-4-macula
Email: lea@mvrf.org