Return to Main Menu

SEI, Charleston RiverDogs featured on HBO  by Cindy Abole Public Relations When it’s baseball season in the Lowcountry, Charleston RiverDogs owner Mike Veeck likes to show fans a good time. Veeck, who’s known for his innovative antics to drum up publicity and  fan support, has attracted the attention of HBO in a project that lies close to his heart. In August, the cameras were rolling on Veeck and his daughter, Rebecca, in an upcoming story that focuses on courage and hope. A few years ago, Rebecca was diagnosed by specialists at Storm Eye Institute with the sight-stealing disease retinitis pigmentosa, affecting a person’s vision for sharpness and light.  Producers from HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel came to Charleston to document how this famous baseball family (Bill Veeck, Mike's father, is in the Baseball Hall of Fame), was dealing with Rebecca's progressive loss of vision. They were familiar with Veeck’s savvy showmanship and recent promotion involving St. Paul (Minn.) Saints minor league blind color commentator Don Wardlow’s move to Charleston. Wardlow, who was born blind, functions with few limitations and is considered a source of inspiration to 10- year-old Rebecca. Veeck’s story will be rebroadcast at 10 a.m. Sept. 21 on HBO. Rebecca suffers from a less common form of retinitis pigmentosa known as cone/rod dystrophy. While typical retinitis pigmentosa affects night vision and produces tunnel vision, Rebecca’s vision affects a greater area—from her center vision outward. But specialists like SEI chairman and ophthalmologist Ed Wilson, M.D., is hopeful that positive therapies for this debilitating disease are just years away. “I’m absolutely confident that vision restoring treatments will be available for Rebecca and others during her lifetime and most likely by her early adulthood,” said Wilson, in a letter written to Rebecca’s parents describing her debilitating condition and prognosis. Wilson was positive and upbeat discussing specific SEI-related research on the disease using drug and gene therapy, cell transplantation and artificial vision technologies that could help Rebecca and other patients. As cameras rolled, Wilson spoke of specific on-campus research targeting the RPE65 gene and its effects with Vitamin A metabolism featuring the efforts of Jian-Xing Ma, MD., Ph.D., and Richard A. Saunders, M.D. He also shared work specifically focused on cell growth and live cell transplantation conducted by SEI researchers, plus other collaborative efforts.  Veeck has been an active advocate for continued eye research and studies. On Aug. 12, Veeck and Charleston RiverDogs organizers held a silent auction to benefit SEI and retina research. During the Aug. 24 Charleston RiverDogs game, team general manager Derek Sharrer presented Wilson with a check for $32,000 from proceeds of their RiverDogs’ Annual Silent/Live Auction. Meanwhile, Veeck waits patiently placing his confidence in vision scientists and clinicians while remaining hopeful that Rebecca will one day see clearly again.         Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.