President's Message
Foundation Update from President J. Michael Jumper, MD, FASRS
It is with great humility and deep resolve that I step into the role of President of the Foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists. This is a pivotal moment for our Foundation—a moment of renewal, reflection, and recommitment to the values that define us.
As retina specialists, we are united by the privilege of restoring and preserving the gift of sight. Each patient we serve, each student we mentor, and each innovation we pursue is a thread in the broader fabric of progress. The Foundation exists to nurture these threads—supporting the research, education, and service that define excellence in retina care.
At the Annual Meeting, I was proud to announce the relaunch of the Foundation—not merely in structure, but in spirit. We are embarking on a new journey—one that honors our past, responds to the needs of the present, and builds a stronger future for the retina community.
Central to this journey is a bold vision to broaden philanthropic engagement and create deeper, more personal opportunities to give.
Tribute Giving: Honoring Those Who Shaped Us
Tribute Giving offers a powerful way to recognize the mentors, educators, and pioneers who have guided our retina career paths. Through individual or group contributions, tributes can be made to celebrate those who have made a lasting impact—supporting future research, education, and clinical excellence.
A deeper commitment and example of tribute giving is creating a named fund, like the M. Gilbert Grand ASRS Vitreoretinal Fellowship Award, that seed future fellowship awards or research grants, ensuring that the next generation of retina specialists benefits from the legacy of those who came before—just as we once did. Whether through a personal contribution or a collective effort among fellowship classmates, these funds serve as enduring testaments to those who have given so much to our field.
We also invite alumni to serve as Class Agents, helping to organize tribute gifts in honor of fellowship directors or educators. Over time, these class-led initiatives can build lasting support for early-career retina specialists and strengthen the enduring bonds between generations of retina physicians. Please contact Catherine Bays if you are interested in learning more about Tribute Giving or serving as a Class Agent.
Extending Gratitude: Grateful Patient Giving
In our daily practice, we are often asked by patients, “How can I say thank you?” Now, we can offer a meaningful answer. Through our new Grateful Patient Program, patients and families may honor their physician by supporting the Foundation’s work—transforming gratitude into tangible impact. A recent gift from Kay Warneke in honor of Dr. Gaurav Shah is an example. These gifts are more than gestures; they are affirmations of trust in our profession and belief in its future.
"We have both benefitted from Dr. Shah and West Coast Retina and feel very blessed to have found them… This group of doctors has been wonderful. I share our great experiences with friends and encourage anyone who has retinal issues to go see them."
— Kay Warneke, a grateful patient of Dr. Gaurav Shah
Click here to read about the Warneke’s heartfelt gift.
By inviting patients into our mission, we extend the circle of giving beyond our own community—enabling those we serve to become partners in our shared pursuit of sight-saving innovation.
Looking Forward
While we continue to value the Foundation’s support of research grants, fellowship awards, and other critical programs, our focus now turns to building enduring pillars of support through Tribute and Grateful Patient Giving. These new pathways offer the opportunity to honor the past, empower the present, and shape the future—together.
I invite each of you, as colleagues and as stewards of our field, to consider how you might participate. Whether through a tribute gift, a class initiative, or by connecting a grateful patient to the Foundation, your involvement will help forge the next chapter of retina excellence.
Thank you for your commitment to our shared mission and for being part of this exciting new chapter.
J. Michael Jumper, MD, FASRS
President, Foundation of the American Society of Retina Specialists