Dr. Arun Gulani, founding director and chief surgeon of Gulani Vision Institute in Jacksonville, recently launched the Gulani Vision Global Foundation with a mission to bring advanced eye surgery methods, research and revolutionary technology to patients and medical professionals from around the world.
The formal announcement was held on Nov. 17 at the inaugural fundraiser, Gulani Vision iBall, with presentations, awards to local visionaries, a City of Jacksonville proclamation and an evening of international foods and entertainment.
The event at the River Club in downtown Jacksonville commemorated the Gulani Vision Global Foundation, a charitable 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which is dedicated to advancing the world of vision while bringing together international business and philanthropic leaders, patients and innovators.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the inaugural “Gulani VISIONARY Award” to Shad Khan, owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, as a visionary who demonstrates exceptional commitment and leadership that has impacted communities in Northeast Florida and worldwide.
Accepting the award for Khan was Whitney Meyer, senior vice president and chief community officer at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gulani was also presented with the City of Jacksonville’s Mayor Donna Deegan Proclamation award for outstanding achievements and world leadership, with record-breaking medical tourism in a local private medical practice and for his innovative eye surgical techniques. He was recognized and pinned by Donna Guzzo, a local United Nations ambassador and nonprofit executive, in recognition of his global impact on vision care.
During the event, Gulani addressed guests with his vision for the foundation, emphasizing its commitment to providing assistance to deserving patients, sharing his renowned expertise with aspiring surgeons and propelling innovation for the future of vision care. The foundation is created to make a significant impact on the global landscape of ophthalmology through inspiration and excellence.
Honorees were presented awards with the Crystal Ball for the Future of Vision for their exceptional achievements and contributions to the community and globally.
Award recipients included Donna Guzzo, president and CEO of First Coast Cultural Center, president and CEO of Language Exploration Enrichment (L.E.E.) St. Johns, and United Nations ambassador of sustainable development goals; Leigh Cort, founder and president of Women’s Food Alliance and president of Leigh Cort Publicity; Shyam Paryani, director of community engagement and director of the Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) program at the University of North Florida Brooks College of Health; Vic Micolucci, news anchor and investigative reporter at WJXT-TV; Nick Loren, vice president and head of development and production at Mayday Movie Productions LLC; Lee Giat, CEO at Flying Ostrich Media Inc.; and Tracey Tischler, aesthetician and beauty influencer.
Additionally, Gulani’s patient, Natasha Namen, a champion ballroom dancer, shared a performance with her dance partner Vasiliy Vlasov from Arthur Murray Dance Studio. Namen created the dance to rejoice in her sight and surgery outcome with Gulani.
“The Gulani Vision Global Foundation has been established to provide research, treatments and procedures to help those close to blindness and restore their sight,” said Gulani. “We hope to attain the next level of sight improvements as a testament to the commitment to the future of humanity, while combining the celebration of vision with a commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of individuals worldwide.”
