Dave and Leanna Palmer share their commitment to supporting Macular Degeneration Research.
When Dave Palmer’s father began experiencing significant difficulty with day-to-day tasks decades ago due to vision loss from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Dave and his wife Leanna started researching what they could do to help. That’s when the Palmers, who will celebrate their golden 50th anniversary next year, began donating to Macular Degeneration Research, a program of BrightFocus Foundation. Longtime residents of Colorado, the couple met while working in the insurance industry and are now both retired.
Today, at age 74, Dave is living with AMD, as are his sister and cousins. A golfer, Dave has partial vision loss that prevents him from locating his ball after a swing. “My golf buddy has to tell me where it landed,” he said. “I have dry (AMD) in one eye and very small indications of it going to the other. If that happens, I won’t be driving anymore, which is an attention-getter.”
But even before Dave himself was diagnosed with AMD, the Palmers had increased their annual contributions to BrightFocus’ Macular Degeneration Research program. “I hit the time where I needed to do RMDs (required minimum distributions) on my IRA, and BrightFocus popped up on Charity Navigator as being one of the charities that directs the highest percentage of donations toward research and programs,” Leanna explained.
BrightFocus Foundation also supports vision research through its National Glaucoma Research program. “We just discovered a friend has glaucoma, and we can tell him, go to BrightFocus.org. Not only are they helping with research, they give people cutting-edge information on how to be as healthy as possible and control these serious chronic problems,” Leanna shared.
“We just want to thank BrightFocus Foundation for all of the hard work that it is doing for macular degeneration, glaucoma, and Alzheimer’s,” she continued. “We feel confident BrightFocus is putting our donations to the best possible use.”
This story originally appeared in BrightFocus Foundation’s 2025 annual report.
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier global nonprofit funder of research to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Since its inception more than 50 years ago, BrightFocus and its flagship research programs—Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Macular Degeneration Research, and National Glaucoma Research—has awarded more than $300 million in research grants to scientists around the world, catalyzing thousands of scientific breakthroughs, life-enhancing treatments, and diagnostic tools. We also share the latest research findings, expert information, and resources to empower the millions impacted by these devastating diseases. Learn more at brightfocus.org.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is a public service of BrightFocus Foundation and is not intended to constitute medical advice. Please consult your physician for personalized medical, dietary, and/or exercise advice. Any medications or supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. BrightFocus Foundation does not endorse any medical products or therapies.
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