After graduating from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, Dr. Helveston completed his ophthalmology residency at IU and trained at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. In 1967, he returned to Indianapolis to start the pediatric ophthalmology division at IU, the first in Indiana. Six years later, he founded the IU Pediatric Ophthalmology fellowship training program—one of the first in the United States—with Dr. Ellis as his first trainee.

Dr. Ellis, an IU School of Medicine graduate, worked as a family practitioner for nearly a decade before pursuing ophthalmology, an interest sparked during his time as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force. After his ophthalmology training, he specialized in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus under Dr. Helveston's mentorship. Following his fellowship, Dr. Ellis joined Dr. Helveston to expand the IU program.

From 1974 until Dr. Ellis' retirement in 1997, Drs. Helveston and Ellis co-led the Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship at IU School of Medicine. They helped define pediatric ophthalmology as a subspecialty and made IU one of the leading divisions nationally. They trained dozens of fellows, many of whom now lead training programs at universities and children's hospitals worldwide. They were prolific researchers, publishing hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and several textbooks.

Today, the division remains one of the nation’s largest and most renowned, with 13 full-time faculty clinicians and two fellows. It is nationally recognized for treating pediatric cataracts, glaucoma, retinopathy of prematurity, strabismus, and retinoblastoma. Each year, thousands of children from Indiana, as well as throughout the country and around the world, are brought to IU to save or enhance their vision–a program made possible through the pioneering efforts of Drs. Helveston and Ellis.

Income from your gift to this endowed fund will allow the Department of Ophthalmology to support the needs of a faculty member who is steadfastly committed to carrying on a legacy of outstanding care and training in pediatric ophthalmology. The practitioners they mentor will go on to help thousands of patients throughout their careers.

Through your generosity and our expertise, IU School of Medicine can ensure children can continue to see and behold all the world has to offer.

Please note, the name and purpose of the fund displayed on this page constitute the authorized description of the fund by the Indiana University Foundation, Inc. Your gift supports the fund as described herein.

This account is an endowment. Your gifts to this fund will be invested in perpetuity to provide annual income to support the purpose of the account. Per Indiana University Foundation, Inc. policy, endowment accounts which do not ultimately become fully funded at the required minimum through pledges/gifts will be converted to an expendable account supporting the same purpose as the original endowed fund.

Gifts will be administered by the Indiana University Foundation, Inc. which represents Indiana University, including the IU School of Medicine. This is not a gift to Indiana University Health, and the Indiana University Health Foundation will not play a role in administering these accounts.