Effort To ‘End Blindness’ Marks Milestone With Leading Scientists Recognized For Pioneering Work

End Blindness 2020, a joint effort by leading scientists and figures from the worlds of business, politics, culture, art, music and entertainment to rid the world of blindness, is about to mark a milestone. On December 14, 2020, 13 scientists will share $3 million in prizes, from The Sanford and Sue Greenberg Prize to End Blindness, for their scientific and medical contributions to permanently and universally eradicate blindness.

The hour-long streamed ceremony will be freely accessible and open to all at www.EndBlindness2020.com.

The Greenberg Prize awards ceremony will feature Art Garfunkel, Margaret Atwood, Al Gore, Michael Bloomberg, and Sen. Chris Coons among other luminaries. Musical performances will be provided by special guests. Grammy Award-winning jazz artist Diane Schuur, who was blind from birth due to retinopathy of prematurity, will share a few special words. Art-world legend Frank Stella will unveil a sculpture created in honor of the prize.

The Greenberg Prize ceremony will also feature a moving tribute to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a longtime supporter of the End Blindness movement. The tribute will include exclusive footage of Justice Ginsburg reading from Hello Darkness, My Old Friend, the memoir of End Blindness 2020 co-founder Sanford D. Greenberg.

“While today’s prize marks the culmination of years of challenging scientific work, in reality this prize is only the beginning of a journey of innovation and cooperation,” Dr. Greenberg says. “Together, we are forging a new reality, one in which blindness will no longer determine the future of millions of people. We will end blindness, sooner than any of us can imagine, permanently and for everyone.”

Recipients of The Greenberg Prize include members of the scientific and medical communities who have pioneered breathtaking advances in the fight to end the debilitating condition. Prize recipients are being honored in two categories: the Outstanding Achievement Prize, highlighting profound strides toward treating and curing blindness, and The Visionary Prize, providing funding for scientists whose research exhibits significant potential in ending this ancient scourge.

Outstanding Achievement Recipients:

• Dr. Ravindran Ravilla, Aravind Eye Care System
• Dr. G. N. Rao, The L.V. Prasad Eye Institute
• Dr. Jean Bennett, Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• Dr. Gustavo Aguirre, Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• Dr. William Hauswirth, Department of Ophthalmology of the University of Florida
• Dr. Albert Maguire, Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Visionary Recipients:

• Dr. James Fujimoto, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Dr. David Huang, Casey Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health and Science University
• Mr. Eric Swanson, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Dr. Zhigang He, Boston Children’s Hospital F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center
• Dr. Simon John, The Jackson Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University
• Dr. Botond Roska, Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel
• Dr. Masayo Takahashi, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research; Vision Care, Inc. as part of Kobe Eye Center