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Press Release 05/20/25

Donation to Wills Eye Hospital for Research on Retinal Degenerative Diseases

SURPRISE DONATION - $100,000 PRESENTED IN HONOR OF MAIN LINE FAMILY IMPACTED BY HEREDITARY EYE DISEASE

A local family was honored through a $100K donation to fight inherited retinal disease

PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 2025 – A surprise $100K donation was presented to Wills Eye Hospital in honor of a local family from the Main Line impacted by inherited retinal disease at Eyes on the Cure – A Games Day at Bala Golf Club on Thursday, May 1. The anonymous donation will support Wills Eye’s Joseph I. Maguire, MD Retina Research Fund. This fund, part of the Retinal Degeneration Center at Wills Eye, will support exciting evolutions in the treatment of a wide variety of devastating retinal degenerative diseases.

Nikki Kurland, of Wayne, and her daughter Marisa Langford, of Merion Station, have been impacted by inherited retinal disease. Marisa was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare inherited degenerative eye disease that causes severe vision loss. Marisa’s nine-year-old daughter also has retinitis pigmentosa, but has not yet displayed symptoms of the disease.

The event included card games like canasta, mahjong, and bridge, raffles, and a boutique of apparel and jewelry to shop. Proceeds from sales also went to benefit Wills Eye Hospital for a total contribution of $110,000.

(L to R) Chad and Marisa Langford (Merion Station), Paul and Nikki Kurland (Wayne), Suzanne Beers (Plymouth Meeting) from Wills Eye Hospital, and Jose Pulido, MD, (Bryn Mawr) from Wills Eye Hospital.
Guests celebrated the $100,000 anonymous donation to Wills Eye Hospital to honor a local family impacted by inherited retinal disease.

About Wills Eye Hospital:
Wills Eye Hospital is a global leader in ophthalmology, established in 1832 as the nation's first hospital specializing in eye care. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Wills Eye as one of America's top ophthalmology Hospitals since the survey began, has the most nationally ranked ophthalmologists in the country and is among the top academic training programs in the U.S. for its residency program as voted by physicians in the nation. Wills Eye is a premier training site for all levels of medical education. Its resident and post-graduate training programs are among the most competitive in the country. The Vickie and Jack Farber Vision Research Center at Wills harnesses the core strengths of Wills, the close connection between innovative research and advanced patient care, to discover therapeutic breakthroughs. Wills provides the full range of primary and subspecialty eye care for improving and preserving sight, including cataract and primary eye care, cornea, emergency care, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, ocular oncology, oculoplastics, pathology, pediatric ophthalmology, refractive surgery, retina, and strabismus. Ocular Services include the Wills Laser Correction Center and Diagnostic Center. Its 24/7 Emergency Service is the only one of its kind in the region. Wills Eye also has a network of six multi-specialty, ambulatory surgery centers throughout the Tri-State area.