When Toni Heller thinks back on her journey with vision loss, she speaks with the calm honesty of someone who has learned to balance the challenge with the hope. Years ago, as her central vision began to fade, she became a patient of Dr. Ed Stone, retina specialist and Director of the UI Institute for Vision Research (IVR). The combination of his care, empathy, and confidence in the research taking place within the Institute quickly gave Toni a sense of direction.

“They make you feel like you matter, like your eye condition is important to them,” Toni says. “They never rush you.”

When she lost her central vision, Dr. Stone didn’t simply explain the diagnosis. He walked her through the emerging promise of stem cell research at the Institute for Vision Research and what it could one day mean for patients like her. His clarity and commitment sparked something in Toni.

“If this is the future of restoring vision,” Toni says, “then I want to help make it happen.”

What began as exceptional patient care gradually evolved into advocacy, and ultimately, a commitment to support the research that could help patients like her for generations to come.

While Toni was navigating her retinal disease with Dr. Stone, her husband Dick found himself facing vision issues of his own. When he began developing corneal problems, he was introduced to Dr. Mark Greiner, Director of the Cornea Service and the Robert and Joell Brightfelt Professor of Corneal Research. Dick’s condition would eventually require corneal transplants, and suddenly Dick and Toni were both under the care of national leaders in their respective specialties.

Having both Dr. Stone and Dr. Greiner just a hallway apart made a profound difference for the Hellers. Their appointments naturally grew into conversations about the research happening in both areas, how discoveries are made, and what it takes to move promising ideas from the lab to the clinic. Dick’s involvement began quietly, just a casual conversation with Dr. Greiner that drew on Dick’s manufacturing background and natural problem-solving mindset. What started as a friendly exchange soon led to a lab tour and a window into the complexities of the research underway.

Seeing that work firsthand gave Toni and Dick a clear sense of purpose. “You see what they’re doing,” Toni says, “and you think, we have to help.”

Back home, the Hellers shared their story with close friends Jim and Nancy Neumeister, telling them of doctors who truly listened, the clarity of the science, and research with the potential to change lives. Inspired by this, Jim, also a patient of Dr. Greiner’s, considered how he might contribute. “I wouldn’t have thought to support research like this if Dick hadn’t mentioned it,” Jim says. “But once I saw how Dr. Greiner thinks and how he explains things, it made sense to get involved.”

After years of uncertainty and referrals elsewhere, Jim found Dr. Greiner’s candor refreshing. “He told me exactly what was going on,” Jim says. “I appreciated that honesty.”

Moved by their experiences and the Hellers’ example, the Neumeisters began supporting Dr. Greiner’s research as well.

The Hellers’ and the Neumeisters’ journeys showcase the strength of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Institute for Vision Research. From inherited retinal disease to corneal surgery, this top-ranked eye center offers world-class care, pioneering research, and discoveries that change lives.

Both families support this work because they believe in its potential, recognizing how crucial philanthropy is to advancing vision research.

“You can sit on the sidelines and talk about it,” Dick says, “but if you have the means, it makes a real difference to step in.” Jim agrees. “What’s impressed us most is how appreciative they are. You can tell the support truly matters.”

Even with the momentum they’ve helped build, both couples are humble about their involvement. “There are more people like us than there are major donors,” Dick says. “If everyone gives a little, it adds up.”

Their generosity ensures that patients today, and for years to come, benefit from breakthroughs that once seemed impossible.

To support this work, please visit:
www.givetoiowa.org/ivr
www.givetoiowa.org/eye