Supporting Eye Research by Mara Braverman

JOHN AND FLORENCE SOLOMON believe strongly in the promise of research.

"Research is the source of anything for the future," John Solomon explains.

The Solomons hope their endowment of the John and Florence Mattern Solomon Chair in Vision Biology and Eye Diseases will do just that--lead to the finding of the causes of eye diseases. And then to treatments for those who have these diseases.

Florence Solomon developed macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans, some years ago. The Solomons adjusted to the problem, not letting it stop them from traveling often, for example.

But they also decided to make a difference in the lives of others by endowing the Florence Mattern Solomon Fund for Eye Disease in 1979. Then in 1985, their gift was converted to establish the University of Connecticut's first endowed chair (then called the Chair in Opthalmology). The Solomon's gift was matched by the Security-Connecticut Life Insurance Company, which John Solomon had headed as chairman and chief executive oficer until his retirement earlier that year. They chose UConn for their gift because John Solomon was a director of the University of Connecticut Foundation.

The Solomons now live in Arizona, although they visit the Health Center from time to time. During their last visit, they met with Dr. David Papermaster, the current chairholder, and learned about his research on macular degeneration.

Twenty years after they made the gift to the Health Center to support eye research, John Solomon says, "We are very happy we did it."

reprinted with permission from U ConnHealth & Science/Winter 1997-98