Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation

Our mission is to raise funds to support research, raise awareness, expand patient resources, and offer all Coats’ Disease patients hope and improvements as they wage a lifelong battle against Coats’ Disease and blindness. 

Join the 20th Anniversary Giving Circle!

20 Years of Hope. One Vision: A Cure

20 Years of Hope. One Vision: A Cure

Everyone with Coats’ Disease Deserves a Future with a Cure - That Breakthrough Starts with You!

Everyone with Coats’ Disease Deserves a Future with a Cure - That Breakthrough Starts with You!

The Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit charitable Foundation that was established in 2006 by the parents of Jack McGovern as a promise to their son that they would never rest until there was a cure for Coats’ Disease.

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20th Anniversary
Giving Circle

Visionary Circle — $5,000+
Ed McGovern

Beacon of Hope — $2,500–$4,999
Tina McGovern

Champion of Sight — $1,000–$2,499

Guardian of Hope — $500–$999
David and Stephanie Connolly Family Fund

Friend of the Foundation — $200–$499

Hope Giver — $25 - $199
Joe Kolar
Mrs. and Mrs. Lawrence J. Miller
Fereshteh Niroomand
Chris Zandelin

Hope Sustainer— $20/month (or more!)
Janet and Mike Goman
Parent of a Coats’ Kid!

Scientific Advisory Board

FAQ

At the Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation, we are often contacted by anxious parents or patients who are seeking information after receiving a diagnosis of Coats’ Disease. The questions below are provided as a resource to assist you as you and your doctor decide the best approach for treatment. These questions do not constitute any form of medical advice or diagnosis. Each patient is unique. An experienced retinal specialist who has examined the patient is the best source of information for diagnosis and treatment. We always recommend getting a second opinion.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor (Download PDF)

  • Ahead of any treatments or procedures, it is important to ask yourself and the doctor the following questions:

    • How do you know that this is Coats’ Disease?

    • Has your doctor treated other patients with Coats’ Disease?

    • Have you sought a second opinion? If not, please consult our Doctor Directory for knowledgeable doctors in your area.

    • What Stage of Coats’ Disease is he/she in?

    • Will his/her vision get worse over time?

    • Will the eye have pain?

    • Will his/her eye start to turn out? Is muscle corrective surgery an option?

    • Are cataracts likely?

    • How likely is glaucoma? (due to retinal detachment)

    • Is there calcification?

    • What is the anticipated disease progression?

    • Is there a thorough vision exam available?

    • Where is the vision affected? (central/peripheral/distance)

    • Does he/she have depth perception? (3D visibility)

    • What about the non-Coats’ eye?

    • To what extent is his/her vision affected?

    • Will we be able to use this as a baseline to measure progress/decline?

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