UW-Madison institute hosts cycling fundraiser to support vision research

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Blinding diseases impact millions of Americans, including more than 100,000 Wisconsinites, which is why one UW-Madison institute hosts an annual fundraiser to assist researchers in finding cures.

The Cycle for Sight fundraiser is hosted by the McPherson Eye Research Institute each year. According to the organization, their mission is to ‘gain critical knowledge about the science and art of vision, and apply it to the prevention and treatment of blinding diseases.’

For $15, participants could register and commit to one hour of exercise, all proceeds to support vision research. Saturday, many of those participants gathered at Princeton Club - West to cycle alongside their friends and family.

Director David Gamm said many people who participate in the annual event have been personally touched by a blinding disease.

“I think everybody knows that why we do what we do is to help the folks that are here cycling, the ones that can’t be here today, and the ones in the future, the family members, the loved ones that will have these problems that hopefully by then we’ll have solutions for,” Gamm said.

The organization has consistently raised over $50,000 each year they host the event.

“The best I can do is watch them slowly lose their vision overtime. And nobody likes that,” Gamm said. “The families certainly don’t like it, we don’t like it, as physicians and researchers, and so we’ve dedicated a team of over 200 researchers and trainees at the University of Wisconsin and around Wisconsin to come together and bring all of our varied expertise and resources to bare to try to develop treatments and cures for folks who currently have no place to turn.”

To contribute to the Cycle for Sight fundraiser, visit https://give.wiscmedicine.org/event/cycle-for-sight-2023/e406227.

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