Show Your Support With a 50th Anniversary Pin!
         
In 2010, the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation and Heartland Lions Eye Banks will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our partnership with the Missouri Lions.

To recognize this milestone, the Foundation has produced a pin honoring a half century of saving sight. Each pin is $10, and proceeds will help fund the Foundation's programs. Pins are currently available from the following Lions:

• VCC Marvin McAdams, Washington Lions, M-2
• Lion Stan Rehn, Concord Village Lions, M-2
• PDG Roger Tiemann, LaGrange Lions, M-3
• PCC Don Noland, Harvester Lions, M-3
  
• PCC Duane Nauman, Mound City Lions, M-4
• Lion Alice Ballard, Pleasant Hill Lions, M-5
• PDG Wayne Cunningham, Chillicothe Lions, M-5
• Lion Ron Pauley, Raytown Lions, M-5
• Lion Stuart Payne, Carl Junction Lions, M-6
• PDG Cliff Curtis, Springfield Evening Lions, M-6
• CC Jesse Hathcock, Jefferson City Evening Lions, M-7
• PDG Donal Knipp, Auxvasse Lions, M-7
• Lion Larry Duncan, Owensville Lions, M-7
  

Orders may also be placed by sending a check or money order to: 50th Anniversary Pin, Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation, 404 Portland St., Columbia, MO 65201. For credit card orders, please contact Nicole Plegge at 800-283-1982, ext. 115.

Thank you for your continued support of the Foundation and those we serve!

Watch for the Donate Life Float at the Rose Parade

On New Year's Day, turn on your T.V. at 10 a.m. to catch the Donate Life float - New Life Rises - in the 2010 Rose Parade!

A recipient and a donor from each of the Eye Bank's seven regions will be honored with a rose on this beautiful float, which promotes eye, organ and tissue donation nationwide. Included among the honorees is PDG John Stallings of the Pacific Lions Club whose eyes were donated upon his passing in September.

New Life Rises features the phoenix, the mythical symbol of life coming out of death, to represent those who give life in their passing and the recipients whose lives are changed thanks to their gifts. The float also includes a Family Circle Garden which is contained in a replica of the Wall of Tears from the National Donor Memorial.

This year, New Life Rises, will be the tenth entry and the fourth float in this highly watched parade. Be sure to catch the parade early so you don't miss this moving and memorable celebration of our donor families and our recipients!

Carrying on Our Tradition of Ocular Research

For decades, the Foundation has focused on the detection and treatment of glaucoma, both through our Glaucoma Detection Program and our support of ocular research around the world.

One way we help in the fight against glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness, is by supplying researchers like iScience Interventional Corporation with donated whole globes through our Eye Bank if the corneas are not suitable for transplant.

iScience develops cutting-edge technologies, such as the iTRACK™-250 Microcatheter and iLumin™ Illuminator, which are used for Canaloplasty procedures. Canaloplasty is a minimally invasive surgery that reduces lower intraocular pressure by up to 40%, saving the vision a glaucoma patient has and helping to prevent further deterioration. The microcatheter is threaded into the Schelmm’s canal of the eye to expand the canal and to place a suture stent to open it up permanently. The iLumin sends light through the catheter, allowing the surgeon to see where the catheter is throughout the procedure.

According to Stan Conston, Vice President, Research & Development at iScience, donated eyes are critical in the continued research of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treatments, “Many diseases can affect our eyes and take away our precious gift of sight. Developing treatments to help prevent blindness takes a team effort, and a key part of that team is the eye banks and their donors. The human eye has unique structures and features that are not found in animal eyes. Providing donor eyes for research is therefore an important part of the efforts to advance our understanding of disease and creating effective treatments. The generosity of donors and their families is keenly appreciated by everyone in the ophthalmic research and development community.”

Because of Lions' support, we are able to continue to work with researchers nationwide to uncover the causes of and the cures for blindness. With your help, thousands across the world will have a new outlook on life due to this critical research.

Top 10 Foundation Contributors for 7/1/09 - 11/30/09

The following lists the Top 10 Giving Lions Clubs for the current fiscal year to date.

• Concord Village Lions - $12,000
• Wardsville Lions - $4,000
• First Capital Lions - $3,400
• Hermann Lions - $3,000
• Paris Lions - $2,500
• Moscow Mills Lions - $2,390
• Sedalia Lions - $2,175
• Owensville Lions - $2,000
• Branson-Hollister Lions - $2,000
• Cape Girardeau Lions - $2,000

Monthly Program Stats

Take a look at what we're doing in your community! Visit our Foundation statistics page to review monthly program stats for your Lions district.

Record Screening at Saint Louis Science Center

On November 14th, the Foundation set a one-day screening record thanks to our Lions volunteers.

During our public screening at the Saint Louis Science Center, 175 children were screened for amblyopia and 103 adults were screened for glaucoma.

We thank the following Lions for their volunteerism:

• Lion Becky Henderson
• Lion Jane Kopecky
• PDG Altha Marsh
• Lion Barbara Brockhorst
• DG Pat Porterfield
• PDG Lyn Porterfield
• Lion Trish Callier
• Lion Trudy Roseman
• Lion Angela Cody
• PDG Maxine Salarano
• Lion Jenny Wilkinson

If your name is missing, please let the PR office know at 800-283-1982, ext. 115 or at info@mlerf.org.

We are currently looking for volunteers to help with screenings at the Western Farm Show in Kansas City, February 19-21, 2010. The Farm Show is held at the same time as the M-5 District Convention, so help from other district volunteers would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Tina Twenter at 800-753-2265, ext. 8518.

Update on the Donor Services Center Efforts

A big thank you goes out to those clubs that have already donated to the Donor Services Center (DSC) matching funds grant through LCIF. We will be submitting the grant at the beginning of 2010 and should hear back this spring.

Because of an increase in those who pledge to become eye, organ and tissue donors and our continued work with other Lions eye banks, we will be expanding our DSC staff in the next few months. The new DSC is critical to providing the space and privacy these individuals need to serve our donor families during a difficult time in their lives.

We are only $11,625 short of meeting our $33,000 goal. If you wish to donate to this program, please mail your donation to DSC Project, Heartland Lions Eye Banks, 404 Portland St., Columbia, MO 65201. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 800-283-1982, ext. 107 or info@mlerf.org.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

Foundation Board of Directors Meeting
March 27, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
Foundation Library
404 Portland St.
Columbia, MO 65201

Foundation Board of Directors Meeting and Educational Forum
June 12, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
American Legion
600 Legion Lane
Columbia, MO 65201

Foundation board meetings are open to all Missouri Lions. For more information, contact info@mlerf.org.