A Vision for the Future: Naples Couple Establishes $5 Million Endowment at Bascom Palmer
The Donald and Diana Wingard Ophthalmology Research Endowment will provide flexible, long-term support for research, education and patient care at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Naples.
Key Takeaways
- Donald and Diana Wingard committed $5 million to establish the Donald and Diana Wingard Ophthalmology Research Endowment.
- The endowment will provide flexible, long-term support for research, education and patient care at Bascom Palmer in Naples.
- Areas of focus include retina, oculoplastics, cornea and glaucoma.
- The gift reflects the Wingards’ gratitude for years of care and their investment in the future of vision research and treatment in Southwest Florida.
When Diana Wingard noticed a brown shadow in her vision in July 2024, she and her husband, Donald Wingard, turned to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Naples, part of UHealth—University of Miami Health System, where Don had received care in 2022.
Their confidence was well placed.
Within hours of a thorough examination in Naples, the Wingards were sent to Bascom Palmer in Miami to see Audina Berrocal, M.D., a nationally renowned retinal specialist and professor of clinical ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer. Bascom Palmer serves as the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Ophthalmology.
After confirming a detached retina, Dr. Berrocal performed surgery to save Diana’s vision.
“The doctors and technicians worked as a team to correct the diagnosis in a very short time,” Diana said. “They’re so careful to make sure that they come up with the right diagnosis. It gives a patient a feeling of reassurance and a chance for a successful outcome for your eyes.”
Bascom Palmer Earned the Wingards’ Trust
The experience reinforced the Wingards’ trust in Bascom Palmer, a trust built through years of care. The couple first came to Naples in 1979 and settled there full time after Don retired from an international management consulting firm in 1998. Their relationship with Bascom Palmer began in 2022 when Don was struck in the eye by a palm frond and later underwent surgery to remove scar tissue known as an epiretinal membrane. He and Diana have also had cataract surgeries at the institute.
To demonstrate their gratitude and help advance research, patient care and academic excellence at Bascom Palmer Naples, the Wingards committed $5 million to establish the Donald and Diana Wingard Ophthalmology Research Endowment.
The Wingards praised the physicians, nurses and staff at Bascom Palmer Naples for their patient-centered culture and commitment to solving some of the most complex challenges in eye health.
“It gives you a good feeling as a patient, because you can see expertise. You can see the effective treatment they provide,” Don said. “You come to understand that their mission really is a sincere mission to improve eyesight and benefit humanity.”
What Will the $5 Million Endowment Support?
The Wingards wanted to support the Naples location because they have watched Southwest Florida’s eye-care needs grow alongside the region’s population. To maximize the impact of their gift, they worked closely with Eduardo Alfonso, M.D., who recently stepped down as director of Bascom Palmer after a 19-year tenure and became a trusted friend. Together, they designed an endowment that provides flexible, long-term support for the institute’s research, patient care and academic priorities in Naples, with a focus on retina, oculoplastics, cornea and glaucoma.
“The Wingards understand that supporting research is essential to advancing science, and that every discovery begins with someone willing to invest in possibility,” said Dr. Berrocal, professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Miller School.
Why This Gift Matters
The Donald and Diana Wingard Ophthalmology Research Endowment will provide flexible, long-term support for Bascom Palmer’s priorities in Naples.
The endowment is designed to support research, patient care and academic excellence, with a focus on retina, oculoplastics, cornea and glaucoma.
For the Wingards, the gift is both an expression of gratitude and an investment in the future of vision research and treatment in Southwest Florida.
Dr. Alfonso said the gift will help strengthen the organization’s presence in Collier County for years to come.
The Wingards “have been team players in working with me to look at what would have the greatest impact with the very magnanimous gift that they’re giving us,” Dr. Alfonso said. “They understand that education and research are the strong pillars that support the great clinical care that Bascom Palmer gives, and that’s what makes us No. 1.”
Under Dr. Alfonso’s leadership, Bascom Palmer earned the No. 1 ranking in ophthalmology from U.S. News & World Report for 25 years, and its ophthalmology residency program has been recognized as the best in the nation. Dr. Alfonso will continue as a faculty member, remaining actively involved in health care leadership, patient care, community relations and education.
For the Wingards, supporting Bascom Palmer is a way to express gratitude for the care they received and an investment in the future of vision research and treatment in Southwest Florida.
“It’s really fun to know that you’re helping someone continue to be the best,” Don said.
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Tags: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Audina Berrocal, eye diseases, ophthalmology