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accessing the live stream

Make sure you are registered to receive the zoom link. One link will provide you access to a stream of all three sessions described in this program. Please note that as this conference is being broadcast live, there will be breaks between sessions. The times below are in eastern time. Please adjust based on your location.

We will be able to take some questions from the online audience. To ask a question, please type it into the Q&A box on your zoom toolbar, or email us at education@fightingblindness.ca. If we are unable to answer your question live, please reach out to us via our Health Information Line at 1.888.626.2995 or healthinfo@fightingblindness.ca.

Please click the button below to register. If you need any assistance, please reach out to us at education@fightingblindess.ca or call 1.800.461.3331 ext 246

REGISTER FOR THE LIVE STREAM

PROGRAM

2:00-2:15 p.m. EDT
Welcome Remarks 
Jennifer Jones, President & CEO, Fighting Blindness Canada, and Morgan Ineson, Senior Manager, Education, Fighting Blindness Canada

2:15-3:00 p.m. EDT
Gene-Agnostic Therapy with Dr. Daniel Chung
One of the key challenges with gene therapy is that treatments need to be customized for each specific gene mutation. However, there is increasing excitement around a new class of treatments, known
as gene-agnostic therapies, that target common causes of retinal degeneration or try to prevent vision loss independent of the genetic cause. This approach could offer benefits to many people living with
an inherited retinal disease (IRD). In this session, Dr. Daniel Chung, Chief Medical Officer at SparingVision, will provide an in-depth overview of gene-agnostic therapies. He will discuss the types of therapies currently under investigation, how they operate, and the potential benefits and challenges associated with this innovative approach.

3:00-3:15 p.m. EDT
Break 

3:15-4:00 p.m. EDT
Ask the Expert – Inherited Retinal Disease, featuring Dr. Brian Ballios
There are over 20 inherited retinal diseases including retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, Usher syndrome, and Leber congenital amaurosis. Being diagnosed with one of these conditions can be challenging, and you may have many questions about your care, or what treatments are available or currently being studied. Dr. Brian Ballios will give an overview of IRDs and answer your questions.

4:00-4:15 p.m. EDT
Break 

4:15-5:00 p.m. EDT
Voices of Change: Transforming Lived Experience into Action
Featuring Dave Brown, Mary Campbell and Alicia Chenier
Join us for an insightful session exploring the intersection of advocacy and lived experience. You will hear from individuals who have navigated both the challenges and triumphs of living with vision loss, and learn how these firsthand experiences can inform and drive meaningful advocacy. Whether you are a community member, advocate, or ally, you will gain practical insights on how to amplify your voice and create impactful change.

5:00-5:15 p.m. EDT
Closing Remarks

SPEAKER BIOS

DR. BRIAN BALLIOS

Dr. Brian Ballios is a fellowship-trained clinician-scientist, with a focus on medical retinal disease and a subspecialty in inherited retinal disease. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto. He holds appointment as clinician-scientist at the University Health Network in the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, and is a staff physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the Kensington Vision and Research Centre. Dr. Ballios is also a scientist at the Krembil Research Institute where he has a laboratory investigating the mechanisms of acquired and inherited retinal disease, and the development of new stem cell-based therapies. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Toronto in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program.

DAVE BROWN

Dave Brown is the Host of NOW with Dave Brown on AMI TV, a daily TV talk show that explores real world events through the lens of disability and inclusion. Born with albinism and legally blind, Dave has been working in the broadcast industry for over 10 years, and has had the chance to make documentaries, host shows, and interview thousands of people. Broadcasting is Dave’s passion and he is grateful for every opportunity he gets to connect with people. He first fell in love with radio while listening to his Sony Walkman late at night when he was supposed to be sleeping. Dave makes his home in North York, ON and beyond broadcasting, he has a passion for sunglasses, fantasy football, and deep-fried cheese.

MARY CAMPBELL

Mary Campbell, RN, B.Sc.N., is a retired nurse who lives in Toronto.
A University of Toronto alumnus, she was diagnosed with wet AMD at age 65 in 2012. Due to unfortunate delays in treatment, she lost all of her central vision in her left eye. Six years later, she developed wet AMD in her right eye and was treated immediately, enabling her to preserve her vision. Mary keeps up to date with the latest AMD research in the hopes that her three adult children and six grandchildren will not be affected in the future. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, keeping fit with exercise classes, theatre and music.

ALICIA CHENIER

Alicia Grace Chenier is a motivational speaker, aspiring actor and college graduate who is currently pursuing a university degree in disability studies. A brain tumor survivor, chronic illness warrior and disability advocate, Alicia has lived through more lifetimes than the average 25-year-old. After losing most of her vision at a very young age, she dedicates her time to raising awareness about disability and sharing her story, while advocating for greater accessibility, equal access and inclusivity in her city and beyond. Alicia’s life motto is “blind girl in a sighted world”, adapting to navigating the world and living well with sight loss, and she will never lose her vision to create change.

DR. DANIEL CHUNG

Dr. Daniel Chung is the Chief Medical Officer for SparingVision, an ocular genomic medicine company, focusing on gene-agnostic gene therapy and CRISPR gene editing approaches to combat blinding eye diseases. Prior to SparingVision, Dr. Chung was the Ophthalmology Therapeutic Leader for Spark Therapeutics, where he led the medical affairs group and contributed to areas of clinical development and operations, marketing, commercial, patient advocacy, pre-clinical research, development and business development. He was closely involved with the development of Luxturna, the first gene therapy approved by the FDA for use in a blinding eye genetic disease, and the first-ever sight-restoring gene therapy approved by Health Canada. Earlier in his career, Dr. Chung worked in retinal gene therapy at the Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania. He also served as a sub-PI on the RPE65 gene therapy clinical trial at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and he made major contributions to the development of the Phase 3 MLMT novel endpoint. Dr. Chung completed his ophthalmology residency in Akron, Ohio, followed by fellowships in pediatric ophthalmology and ocular genetics research at the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, and in retinal gene therapy at the National Eye Institute/NIH.

SPOTLIGHT ON SIGHT

• JOIN US IN CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF PUTTING SIGHT-SAVING RESEARCH IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Through groundbreaking research, innovation, and advocacy, we have invested more than $45M in research and educational programs that have improved the sight and lives of countless people, and propelled us towards a brighter future. Learn more at: fightingblindness.ca
• VOLUNTEER WITH US! Interested in joining our dedicated community? Learn about volunteer opportunities at: info@fightingblindness.ca

SPONSORS

View Point is proudly supported by:

• National Presenting Sponsor: Bayer
• National Partners: Abbvie, Apellis, Astellas, Biogen, Janssen, Novartis & Roche