BUSNA's Fundraiser to Support JH Birdshot Research Fund
As part of its mission to raise awareness and funds for Birdshot research, BUSNA has launched its first fundraiser, “Our Logo”. A selection of t-shirts displaying the BUSNA logo are available for purchase from The Bonfire Company during November. All proceeds from the sale will go to The Birdshot Research Fund.
The BUSNA logo was designed by the talented David Bethell of BUS UK, and represents both the Birdshot Uveitis Society of North America and its countries - Canada, Mexico and the USA.
The Birdshot Research Fund was established by John and Meredith Cross in 2013, a year after Meredith had been diagnosed with Birdshot. The Cross family has also established a Professorship of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Both the professorship and the research fund support Dr. Jennifer Thorne and her colleagues at Wilmer Eye Institute of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in their collaborations on various aspects of Birdshot Uveitis.
We at BUSNA would like to thank the Cross Family as well as Dr. Thorne and her colleagues for their valuable efforts on behalf of Birdshot patients.
Dr. Thorne has shared the following information about their current studies.
IMAGING STUDY
In a collaboration of five centers, imaging data on 95 patients has been collected for purposes of correlating retinal finding on imaging with patient symptoms and demographics, treatment, visual function, and clinical exam findings. Results of this research will hopefully benefit future Birdshot patients by providing enhanced imaging that will allow treating ophthalmologists to see active inflammation sooner in the disease course, and thus treat the inflammation more aggressively and completely in the disease’s earliest stages.
PARIS COLLABORATIONS
Researchers are also collaborating with Birdshot specialists in Paris who are examining the visual outcomes, treatment outcomes, visual field analyses, imaging analyses, quality of life, and natural history of the disease. This is a unique opportunity in the study of Birdshot, given the long duration of observation. It is hoped that this collaboration will dramatically increase understanding of the natural history and pathogenesis of Birdshot, which should enable real progress in the successful treatment of patients.
DRUG-FREE REMISSION
The team is also investigating the likelihood of drug-free remission in Birdshot. Results were recently presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Vancouver.
GENOMICS
The team is diligently looking for markers other than HLA-A29 in Birdshot. This involves a massive amount of data to be analyzed, but while progress is slow, it has been steady. Although similar to searching for needles in haystacks, this is among the most exciting work being done at Johns Hopkins. Hopefully they will be able to add to the knowledge in this area.
November 25th Update: Congratulations to The Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on being named the #1 Dept. of Ophthalmology AND
#1 in ophthalmology research in the U.S.!
100% of the proceeds from this November 1-21st fundraiser
will go to the Birdshot Research Fund at
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
BUSNA is 501(c)3 approved not-for-profit organization
and has been awarded the 2020 Guide Star Bronze Star for Transparency.
Thank you for any contributions you're able to make to this cause.
Purchases can be made by visiting the Bonfire Company website at
(Hover and click the arrow to the right to view all purchase options.)
T-shirts will be printed starting November 21st and mailed the first week of December.