Apellis partners with Henry Winkler to raise awareness of GA

Apellis Pharmaceuticals announced a new campaign with acclaimed actor Henry Winkler to raise awareness of geographic atrophy, GA, an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration, AMD, and a leading cause of blindness. The GA Won’t Wait campaign helps older adults and their families understand and recognize the symptoms of this progressive and irreversible disease. Together, Apellis and Winkler are empowering people over the age of 60 to monitor and discuss vision changes with an eye doctor, such as a retina specialist, ophthalmologist, or optometrist. "Remembering my father-in-law Ed’s struggle with AMD is why I am partnering with Apellis to help older adults and their families become aware of GA. I saw firsthand how profoundly isolating vision loss may be for older adults," said Winkler. "Though I am now around the same age as Ed when his vision started to decline, I have no plans to slow down. I am so passionate about prioritizing my eye health that I would carry my car to the eye doctor if I started to notice a change in my vision. That’s how on top of it you have to be." "It is a common misconception that significant vision loss is a natural part of aging, which can cause patients to delay in seeking out important care," said Caroline Baumal, M.D., chief medical officer, Apellis. "An early diagnosis is critical for this progressive disease, so we are thrilled to be working with Henry Winkler to help older adults learn about GA and reinforce that eye health should be prioritized as we age."