On June 13, 2004, patients and friends of the Shiley Eye Center came together to support the Blind Baby Fund, a foundation that provides children an opportunity for sight. Under the shade at Big Rock Ranch, Topanga Canyon, Los Angeles, the children enjoyed a day of hula hoops, pony rides, face painting, potato sack races, and more! The celebration also featured a family style barbecue, a spectacular silent auction, and raffle. Every family that attended enjoyed themselves and promised to be back next year with their friends!

The mission of the Blind Baby Fund is to aid families from all parts of the world that lack financial resources for their children to undergo crucial eye surgery at the Shiley Eye Center. If an infant has a serious eye problem requiring surgery and does not have it done immediately, the probability of him/her being blind for life is extremely high. Through the Blind Baby Fund, infants with serious eye diseases come to Shiley with hopes for the gift of sight. Many cannot afford even their plane ticket to San Diego, let alone the incredibly high costs of the surgery and follow up. This Fund helps to assist these families by paying for their travel to San Diego, transportation and lodging during their lengthy stays here, as well as for the cost of treatment.

The mission of the Blind Baby Fund is to aid families from all parts of the world who lack financial resources for their children to undergo crucial eye surgery.

Natan Blutinger, whose nephew now sees after surgery from Shiley Eye Center Chairman and Professor, Dr. Stuart I. Brown, established the Blind Baby Fund through the Fred August and Adele Wolpers Charitable Foundation to assist those parents who come to the Shiley Eye Center from all corners of the globe for care. Two other grateful parents, Vanessa and Darryl Frank, were able to pay for their daughter's care but recognized that other families are not so fortunate. Realizing how significant the gift of sight can be for infants and their parents, the Franks wanted to do something to help raise funds for those without the means to otherwise experience this kind of care. Dr. Brown was thrilled when Vanessa decided to organize and host the First Annual Blind Baby Fund Charity Picnic.

The Shiley Eye Center is extremely grateful to its generous sponsors of the First Annual Blind Baby Fund Charity Picnic: Allergan Pharmaceuticals, DreamWorks Television, the Fred August and Adele Wolpers Charitable Foundation, Fuller and Fuller, SciFi Channel, Turner Broadcasting, United Talent Agency, and Warner Brothers Entertainment. Donations for the raffle and auction were made by: ABT Electronics, babystyle.com, Chop Chop Salon, David Yurman, the Dixie Chicks, the DreamWorks/NBC drama "Las Vegas", The Fairmont Hotel, Four Seasons Resort Aviara, FOX Studios, Frank Family Winery, The Grove, Ii Bisonte, Kinara Spa, Lever, Loews San Diego, Luxxotica, Michelle Branch, Nail Spa, Ralph Lauren Fragrance, Sugar Ray Leonard, Teuscher Chocolates, USA Networks, Wear Me Apparel/Kids Headquarters, W Hotel, and Zucca Ristorante. Many thanks also for the various private gifts given to support the Fund.

The Shiley Eye Center at UCSD offers unique care for infants born with eye diseases that may result in blindness. Our Chairman and Professor, Dr. Stuart I. Brown, is the originator and one of the few physicians in the world who performs corneal transplants on infants. After surgeries performed here at the Shiley Eye Center, these children go on to have productive lives with the ability to see. If you would like more information or are interested in donating to the Blind Baby Fund, please call 858-534-8017.