NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER RECEIVES A $5,000 GRANT FROM THE ORDER SONS OF ITALY IN AMERICA, NY GRAND LODGE FOUNDATION THROUGH ITS GIFT OF SIGHT PROGRAM FOR THE NUMC EYE CENTER, TO HELP OUTPATIENTS SUFFERING FROM MACULAR DEGENERATION

October 6, 2008

Contact:  Shelley Lotenberg
(516) 572-6055
shelley@numc.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER RECEIVES A $5,000 GRANT FROM THE ORDER SONS OF ITALY IN AMERICA, NY GRAND LODGE FOUNDATION THROUGH ITS GIFT OF SIGHT PROGRAM FOR THE NUMC EYE CENTER, TO HELP
OUTPATIENTS SUFFERING FROM MACULAR DEGENERATION

East Meadow, NY …… Nassau University Medical Center receives a $5,000 grant from the Order Sons of Italy in America, NY, Grand Lodge Foundation through its Gift of Sight program for the NUMC Eye Center to help outpatients suffering from macular degeneration.  In providing the $5,000 grant to Dr. Robert Lopez, Director of the Vitreo-Retina program in NUMC’s Eye Center, Nancy Quinn, NY State President of the Grand Lodge, Sons of Italy in America, said:  “We are delighted to provide this grant to NUMC to purchase the medication Avastin for outpatients being treated for macular degeneration as well as for public education and research into treatment of macular degeneration.  American ophthalmologists can use Avastin “off label” for research with informed consent.  Without FDA approval, however, there is no insurance coverage.  This $5,000 grant is given to Professor Robert Lopez of Columbia University and Director of Vitreo-Retina at NUMC to purchase Avastin for the Eye Center patients and compile data to contribute to the approval by the FDA.”

Macular degeneration affects 50,000 persons each year.  Unless treated at an early stage, people affected with macular degeneration lose their sight.  Marcelle Morcos, MD, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at NUMC who thanked the Order Sons of Italy members for their generous donation, advises patients to wear sunglasses for protection from the sun,  to obtain yearly check-ups and if patients notice any irregularity in their vision, they should consult immediately with their ophthalmologist to obtain immediate treatment. 

For over 40 years, the Nassau University Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology has provided quality eye care to the Long Island community.  Over 30 board certified ophthalmologists are available to provide services and sub-specialty eye care for both adult and pediatric patients. The Eye Center ophthalmologists are available 24/7 to provide emergency eye care and to provide consultation and referral services from other ophthalmologists, optometrists, and other health care providers.  For information on our NUMC’s eye center, please call 516-572-6648 or 516-572-6706.

Left to right:
Marianne Principe O’Neil, chair Gift of Sight Foundation, NYSOSIA
Robert Lopez, MD, director vitreo-retina at NUMC
Nancy Quinn, state president, NYS Grand lodge, OSIA
S. LoRe, MD, ophthalmologist and medical director of charity for OSIA
Marcelle Morcos, MD, chair department of ophthalmology at NUMC