News of the ICOFoundation

ICOFoundation news headlines:

• ICOFoundation Support for Ophthalmic Education
  
  
• Web Site Lists Major Donors and How to Contribute
  
  
• Board Adds HRH Prince AbdulAziz Ahmad AbdulAziz AlSaud, Jean-Jacques De Laey, Alice McPherson and Takakazu Morita
  
  
• ICOFoundation Coordinates Development Efforts
  
  
• Fund Raising Priorities

ICOFoundation Support for Ophthalmic Education

In 2006, the ICOFoundation provided support funds for the:

• Ophthalmology Medical Student Education,
• Ophthalmology Resident-Specialist Education,
• Ophthalmology Resident Program Directors Courses,
• Resident—Specialist Training and Eye Care Centers
• Ophthalmology Continuing Education

The most recent ICOFoundation annual report can be downloaded from www.icofoundation.org/pdf/ICOFoundationReport.pdf (PDF - 13 MB) or text version for reduced size ICOFoundation Report (Text - 63 KB).

Looking ahead, the ICOFoundation projects multiyear support to update and promulgate curricula, conduct resident program directors courses and enhance ophthalmology resident—specialist education and eye care centers in developing countries.

The goal of the ICOFoundation is to enhance the education of eye care professionals whose values and actions will determine the future of eye care on this planet.

Web Site Lists Major Donors and How to Contribute

The ICOFoundation Web site has been updated and now includes a listing of the Donor Honor Roll for 2003 - 2006. This includes both corporate donors and major individual donors.

There is also information on how to contribute to the ICOFoundation and the programs it supports.

Board Adds HRH Prince AbdulAziz Ahmad AbdulAziz AlSaud, Jean-Jacques De Laey, Alice McPherson and Takakazu Morita

HRH Prince AbdulAziz Ahmad AbdulAziz AlSaud; Jean-Jacques C. De Laey, MD, PhD; Alice R. McPherson, MD; and Takakazu Morita have been elected to the Board of Directors of the International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation (ICOFoundation).

HRH Prince AbdulAziz Ahmad AbdulAziz AlSaud is Regional Chair of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness Eastern Mediterranean Region in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dr. De Laey is Secretary-General of the International Council of Ophthalmology and Professor & Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Ghent in Ghent, Belgium.

Dr. McPherson is President of the Retina Research Foundation and Professor of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicines in Houston, Texas, USA.

Mr. Morita is Chairman and CEO of Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in Osaka , Japan.

Other members of the Board are:

• Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD, President
• Hilel Lewis, MD, Vice President
• Bruce E. Spivey, MD, Secretary-Treasurer
• Rubens Belfort, MD, PhD
• Akef El-Maghraby, MD                           
• Paul R. Lichter, MD
• James V. Mazzo
• David E. Pyott
• Timothy R. G. Sear
• Paul A. Sieving, MD, PhD
• Alfred Sommer, MD
• Yasuo Tano, MD

The ICOFoundation was formed in 2002 to advocate preservation and restoration of vision through education, quality eye care and research. The ICOFoundation seeks financial support for initiatives to prevent, alleviate and eliminate the loss of human vision.

ICOFoundation Coordinates Development Efforts

At the 2003 meeting of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) in New Delhi, Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD, outlined initial plans for the International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation, of which he is the President.

The ICOFoundation was formed to coordinate fund raising efforts of the Council.

Fund Raising Priorities

Dr. Straatsma reported that the ICOFoundation would initially focus on obtaining support for:

• ICO Initiatives in Ophthalmic Education
  
  
• The ICO International Basic and Clinical Science Assessments
  
  
• IFOS/ICO International Fellowships
  
  
• ICO International Clinical Guidelines.

The ICOFoundation has been incorporated in the United States, but related foundations may be formed in other countries as well in order to make tax-deductible contributions possible.

Next: About the ICOFoundation

Also see: Contributions to the ICOFoundation