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Boston Dining in the Dark will Honor Massachusetts Governor, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Founder & Mass. Eye and Ear Researcher

Boston, Mass. (June 11, 2012) — The Foundation Fighting Blindness, the world’s largest private non-profit organization supporting research into cures for blinding retinal diseases, will open guests’ eyes to the challenges of the visually impaired at its inaugural Boston “Dining in the Dark” Dinner on Thursday, June 21, at the Boston InterContinental Hotel. The Foundation will present its prestigious “Visionary Award” to three deserving Honorees:  Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick; Joshua S. Boger, Ph.D., founder of Vertex Pharmaceuticals; and renowned clinician and researcher Eliot L. Berson, M.D., William F. Chatlos Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Berman-Gund Laboratory for the Study of Retinal Degenerations at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.  Proceeds from the event will benefit the Foundation and support its cutting-edge research into treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases such as macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and Usher syndrome.

Dining in the Dark is a distinctive sensory experience. For 30 minutes, guests dine in complete darkness, enjoying their entrées and companions with only the senses of taste, smell, touch and sound, while gaining unique insight into the lives of the blind. Visually impaired servers, who are trained specifically for the dinner to use a system of ropes and stanchions, will share their experience and help guests navigate this journey.  

The “Dining in the Dark” experience has been enthusiastically received by thousands of people. “People’s reactions to Dining in the Dark are truly powerful, because many don’t realize the impact of living with low or no vision,” says Dinner Co-Chair and North Weymouth, MA, resident Kevin Trainor, who has been a Foundation supporter for over 20 years and a longtime patient of Dr. Berson. Kevin and his brother Scot are affected with Usher syndrome, a genetic disease that robs both hearing and vision. The Trainor family has organized several successful golf and wine events in the past to raise more than $1 million for the Foundation.

At the Dinner, the Foundation will present its Visionary Award to three recipients who have played important roles in advancing the Massachusetts biotechnology and medical research communities. Dinner Co-Chair and Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Partner Alan Spiro, of Belmont, MA, who is affected by retinitis pigmentosa, states, “We are thrilled to honor three esteemed leaders, as we come together to support world-leading research in such promising areas as stem cell, gene replacement and pharmaceutical treatments, which offer real hope to more than 10 million Americans and countless more around the world affected by blinding retinal diseases.”  The Honorees are:

  • Through his Life Sciences Initiative, Governor Patrick has positioned the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a global leader in biotechnology and life sciences. “The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a remarkable organization that serves as a beacon of hope for so many,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “It is my great honor to be in the company of the leaders in the field of researching and treating retinal diseases and all those who support them by Dining in the Dark.”

  • The founder of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Boger has devoted his career to developing new medicines aimed at treating serious diseases in entirely new ways. He recently announced that he has become Executive Chairman of Alkeus Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on ophthalmic conditions with limited treatment options, such as dry AMD and Stargardt disease.
  • A longtime Foundation-funded researcher and leading retinal degenerative disease clinician, Dr. Berson developed the first-ever treatment regimen for adults with retinitis pigmentosa, finding that vitamin A can slow the progression of the disease and preserve vision. In February, his team reported that a diet including fish rich in omega-3s enhances the beneficial effect of vitamin A for patients.

Individual tickets are available for $350 each and sponsorship packages begin at $2,500.  For ticket and sponsorship information, contact Judy Price at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 410-423-0630. To request media credentials for the event or to coordinate an interview with a spokesperson, contact Allie Gebhardt at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 410-423-0643.

 

What: Boston Dining in the Dark Visionary Awards Dinner, Benefiting the Foundation Fighting Blindness
Where: InterContinental Boston
510 Atlantic Ave.
Boston, MA
When:

Thursday, June 21, 2012
6 p.m. Reception
7-9 p.m. Program and Dining in the Dark

About Foundation Fighting Blindness

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is the world’s largest private non-profit organization driving research that will lead to preventions, treatments and cures for retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases that affect more than 10 million Americans. In its 40-year history, the Foundation has raised more than $450 million as the leading non-governmental funder of retinal research. Breakthrough Foundation-funded studies using gene therapy have restored significant vision in children and young adults who were previously blind, paving the way for using this method to treat a variety of retinal degenerative diseases, and proving a cure is in sight. With a network of 50 chapters, the Foundation also provides support and resources to affected individuals and their families in communities across the country. 
 

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