Marilyn Beck

For Marilyn Beck, an Armenian-American whose grandparents emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s, The Armenian EyeCare Project carries great personal significance. Her father, Dr. Richard Kasper, an ophthalmologist, now semi-retired, has dedicated his life to quality eye care and to his Armenian heritage. Inspired by his first journey to Armenia in 1986, he began assisting Armenian ophthalmologists in Yerevan to obtain medical supplies, equipment and training. It was through Dr. Kasper’s efforts and introductions that Dr. Roger Ohanesian became involved and eventually founded the AECP.

“In 1997, my father asked me if I would like to travel with him to Armenia. It was an exceptional trip in many respects, not the least of which for me was the opportunity to meet Roger (Ohanesian) and Rick Hill who happened to be there at the same time. I left Armenia feeling as though I, too, wanted to help. We would like to do more and perhaps in the future that will also be possible. But for the time being, we strongly support the goals and work being done through the EyeCare Project,” says Marilyn.

Marilyn and her husband, Jeff, have been extraordinarily generous supporters of the Project helping to make the dream of developing and delivering the Mobile Eye Hospital to Armenia a reality in 2002 and funding a number of other projects since.