On Vision
Storm Eye Institute
Donor Recognition and Portrait
Unveiling of David Apple
May 30, 2000
Let me join Mr. Feldberg
and Dr. Wilson in welcoming you to this wonderful moment in the life of
the Storm Eye Institute. The overflow audience here today provides ample
testimony to the deep affection of so many friends for the Institute.
Thank you for coming, but more importantly, thank you for your dedication
to this wonderful cause.
In a real sense, we
are here today to celebrate vision. By that, of course, we mean vision
in both the literal and figurative senses. Quite literally, it is the
work of the Storm Eye Institute to protect, preserve, improve, and restore
eyesight. To be able to see and to see clearly is such a basic part of
human existence, that we are apt to take it for granted. Those blessed
with normal eyesight have little reason to pause and reflect on the miracle
of vision. When our ability to see is impaired, however, we are constantly
reminded of the precious nature of eyesight.
That sentiment was
very movingly captured by Helen Keller when she wrote the following: "I
who am blind can give one hint to those who see - one admonition to those
who would make full use of the gift of sight: Use your eyes as if tomorrow
you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to the
other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty
strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch
each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would
fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as
if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. Make the most of each
sense."
To me, that statement
provides a poignant reminder of the importance of the work of this Institute.
The Storm Eye Institute is the only comprehensive ophthalmologic center
in South Carolina. By comprehensive, I mean that in one setting basic
research is combined with state-of-the-art education and the most advanced
clinical care. This research bench to patient bedside approach is a unique
resource for the citizens of this State.
Equally important,
the Storm Eye Institute provides leadership on the national, and indeed,
international levels. The clinical expertise of this faculty attracts
patients from afar. The Ophthalmology faculty, as much or more than any
other on campus, is invited around the world to lecture on the latest
techniques. At the same time, the laboratories of the Institute are making
fundamental contributions to vision research.
Without question,
the Storm Eye Institute is a center of excellence and a source of pride
to all involved with the Medical University. We are here today to celebrate
that success and to acknowledge the many friends who have made that success
possible. Indeed, the support of many generous donors was crucial to the
expansion of this facility. Moreover, endowments in support of programs
and named chairs have allowed the Department to recruit and retain an
exceptional faculty.
In today's challenging
financial climate, private funding is essential to the success of academic
health centers. Even at a public institution, such as the Medical University,
we rely heavily upon the support of individual donors, foundations and
corporate benefactors. That is because state appropriations account for
only about 15 percent of our revenue. The remainder of our income is derived
from patient care, funded research and philanthropy.
As reimbursement rates
for medical care decline, the opportunities for growth in funding fall
principally upon research and philanthropy. Although both of these sources
of support are expanding rapidly at the Medical University, they can barely
compensate for the loss of federal funding for patient care activities.
It is truly a time of great challenge to keep the treasures of health
care, such as the Storm Eye Institute, afloat.
That is why it is
so gratifying that the friends of this Institute have been remarkably
generous in their giving. In your program, you will find listed the names
of the many donors to the Storm Eye Institute who have contributed at
the leadership level. I will not embarrass each of these individuals by
citing their names, but it is a pleasure to publicly express my heartfelt
appreciation to them all. Through their support, the Institute is home
to three endowed chairs, with another underway. There are also six named
centers within the Institute that support education, research or clinical
service. In addition, there are six named laboratories and over 20 named
rooms within the Institute.
The donor wall symbolically
links each of these friends of the Storm Eye Institute to this facility.
It serves as a permanent reminder of the spirit of kindness and generosity
in which these gifts were given. We salute each of these donors and thank
them for helping to make this dream come true. Through your continuing
support, we will reach toward even higher goals and aspirations.
I turn now to the
other aspect of vision, the figurative sense. Today, we honor Dr. David
Apple, former chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, with the unveiling
of a portrait. It is fitting that we recognize Dr. Apple at the same time
that we thank our donors, since David was personally responsible for encouraging
many of our benefactors to support the Storm Eye Institute.
I could go on for
some time summarizing David Apple's professional accomplishments. His
curriculum vitae reads like War and Peace and it is of similar heft. Suffice
it to say that Dr. Apple is recognized around the world for his contributions
to ocular pathology, and in particular, for his work on intraocular lens
explants. He has been invited to deliver talks at many distinguished lectureships
in the United States and abroad. His textbook, Ocular Pathology, Clinical
Applications and Self-Assessment was first published over a quarter
century ago and is now in its fifth edition. He is the author of almost
350 journal articles, which is an average of more than 10 articles per
year during his professional career. This is quite simply an astounding
level of scholarly productivity.
As prodigious as are
these research achievements, ultimately it is not that work for which
we honor Dr. Apple today. Rather, David's most visible contribution at
the Medical University is the expanded facility in which we are assembled
today. I suspect that from the moment that he arrived on campus in 1988
as the newly appointed chair of the Ophthalmology Department, he had a
dream of taking the Department to new heights. That task was completed
a decade later with the addition of three floors to this building. Not
only did he raise the roof on the building; he raised the expectation
levels for the Department as well. Ophthalmology is stronger, deeper,
and richer for the faculty that he recruited here and for the extraordinary
success he enjoyed in raising support for their efforts.
If a facility and
a program ever rose on this campus by the sheer force of one individual's
passion, surely there is no better example than David Apple's aspirations
for the Storm Eye Institute. We are witnesses today to his vision, carried
forward by a strong faculty and staff, and enhanced by his successor,
Dr. Wilson.
In considering the
role of a visionary and his ability to mobilize others to his vision,
I am reminded of a story about the great English architect of the 17th
century, Sir Christopher Wren. This story has been attributed to Louise
Bush-Brown, an educator in Pennsylvania, but it may well be apocryphal.
One of Wren's great works, if not his greatest, was St. Paul's cathedral
in London. One day during the construction of this masterpiece, he walked
anonymously among the workers. He stopped and asked one of the workers:
"What are you doing?" To this, the workman responded: "I am cutting a
piece of stone." The great architect then came upon another worker to
whom he posed the same question. This workman replied: "I am earning five
shillings two pence per day." When he came across a third workman and
posed the identical question, he received the following reply: "I am helping
Sir Christopher Wren build a beautiful cathedral." This third worker shared
Wren's vision. In contrast to the first two workers, this third individual
could see beyond his immediate task and its direct compensation.
In a sense, David
Apple is to the Storm Eye Institute as Sir Christopher Wren was to St.
Paul's cathedral. Each of these men had a dream of building something
of lasting significance. They conceived and designed their respective
projects, but they could not complete them without the help of others.
In particular, they needed the engagement of others that shared the same
vision. Today, we celebrate David Apple and at the same time, we thank
those of you who shared his vision. I must pause here and reflect on the
person most responsible for advancing David's vision, his wife Ann. Through
challenging times, Ann has been a constant source of support to David
and today we recognize her important contributions as well.
We come now to the
portrait that will forever provide a visual link between David Apple and
this building. I believe that the artist who painted this portrait, Martha
Thomas, is in the audience. Martha, please stand so that we may express
to you our collective appreciation.
Although painted by
Martha's hand, five other individuals played key roles in making it a
reality through their generous financial support. These five dear friends
of David Apple are Holly Magill, her daughter and son-in-law, Holly and
Arturo Melosi, and Bette and Julian Bush. As fate would have it, two of
these donors, Holly Magill and Julian Bush, were called to their eternal
rest within the last two months. I know that both Holly and Julian are
with us in spirit today. Please join me in a moment of silence in memory
of these two great friends of the Storm Eye Institute.
At this time, I would
like to call Arturo and Holly Melosi and Bette Bush forward to unveil
the portrait.
It is now my honor
to present to you Dr. David Apple.
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