Contact: Ellen Bank
843.792.2626
Feb. 8, 2002
CHARLESTON, SC -- A $2 million gift to the
Storm Eye Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina will
perpetuate the Storm family legacy dedicated to preserving the vision of
South Carolinians. This represents the largest cash gift in the
university's history.
The gift came from the Kathleen Elizabeth O'Brien Foundation,
which was established by the late Kathleen Elizabeth O'Brien, a niece of
the late Willi Chapman Storm. Mrs. Storm made a bequest to the Medical
University in 1967 as a memorial to her husband, Albert Florens Storm.
The purpose of the bequest was to expand eye research and eye care for
the poor in South Carolina. This gift was the genesis of the Storm Eye
Institute, which was dedicated in 1976.
During its first 25 years, the institute has grown in
international stature, and is recognized as one of this country's
leading eye care facilities. In the research arena, the institute has
reached the top 25 percent level of all eye research facilities in total
National Institutes of Health grants. Since the beginning of the year
2001, 75 scientific publications originated from the Storm Eye
Institute, including features on the cover of four of the most
prestigious scientific journals in medicine.
"The $2 million gift will establish an unrestricted endowment
for the Storm Eye Institute that will grow as the years pass and will
assure that Storm Eye Institute researchers and clinicians have access
to the latest, cutting-edge equipment," said M. Edward Wilson Jr., M.D.,
director of the Storm Eye Institute.
"I anticipate new treatments and cures for blinding disease will result
from work at the Storm Eye Institute because of the O'Brien Foundation's
generosity and their confidence in our doctors and scientists."
The Storm Eye Institute has been built on a tradition of
philanthropic support. Mrs. Storm's initial
more
bequest was the catalyst for the original building, a five-story
structure on the MUSC campus. In 1998, an $8.8 million capital campaign
was completed with the help of Lions Club members from across South
Carolina and many other donors. These funds resulted in the addition of
four floors to the building, completed in 1998.
The new $2 million gift is designated as the Kathleen E. O'Brien
Endowment Fund for the Storm Eye Institute. Kathleen O'Brien, who was
raised by Mr. and Mrs. Storm, acquired Bluff Plantation in Berkeley
Country from the Storms and subsequently bequeathed the plantation to
her foundation which maintained the land as a wildlife sanctuary from
Ms. O'Brien's death in 1976 until last year. In September, the Bluff
Plantation was sold with the stipulation that the purchaser was required
to impose a conservation easement upon the land to forever protect the
property in its natural state.
The $2 million gift to the Storm Institute is the major portion
from the proceeds of the sale of the plantation. The trustees of the
O'Brien Foundation were impressed by the track record of research
discoveries and patient care innovations at Storm Eye Institute and
deemed that in light of the Storm and O'Brien connection to the
Institute, the funds should be used to further the work of sight
conservation and research discovery at MUSC's Storm Eye Institute.
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