Carol Rossi

Position: Board Member

Carol Rossi is married to Craig, who was diagnosed as an adult with Coats’ Disease. Learning about this rare condition and supporting her spouse during his ongoing treatment propelled Carol to become involved with the Foundation. She has volunteered with the Annual Golf Tournament and the Cure Coats’ 5K for several years and she will serve as a member of the Coats’ Ambassador Network.

After a career in sales and marketing, Carol focused on raising their daughters and volunteering with many community organizations. She currently serves as a Director on the Point Lobos Foundation Board and helps Meals on Wheels and IHelp Homeless Ministry. Over the past twenty years, Carol has been active on the Burlingame Library Foundation Board and the National Charity League Board.

“The Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation Board is thrilled to welcome Carol Rossi to our Board. She is not only the spouse of a Coats’ patient but has also served on a number of non-profit boards and is highly respected in the non-profit community,” welcomes Joe Vollert, Board Chair.

Carol has lived in the Bay Area for forty years after growing up on the East Coast then heading to California for college. She hopes to raise awareness for early Coats’ screening and to promote research to help understand and cure the disease.

FAQ

At the Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation, we are often contacted by anxious parents or patients who are seeking information after receiving a diagnosis of Coats’ Disease. The questions below are provided as a resource to assist you as you and your doctor decide the best approach for treatment. These questions do not constitute any form of medical advice or diagnosis. Each patient is unique. An experienced retinal specialist who has examined the patient is the best source of information for diagnosis and treatment. We always recommend getting a second opinion.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor (Download PDF)

Ahead of any treatments or procedures, it is important to ask yourself and the doctor the following questions:
- How do you know that this is Coats’ Disease?
- Has your doctor treated other patients with Coats’ Disease?
- Have you sought a second opinion? If not, please consult our Doctor Directory for knowledgeable doctors in your area.
- What Stage of Coats’ Disease is he/she in?
- Will his/her vision get worse over time?
- Will the eye have pain?
- Will his/her eye start to turn out? Is muscle corrective surgery an option?
- Are cataracts likely?
- How likely is glaucoma? (due to retinal detachment)
- Is there calcification?
- What is the anticipated disease progression?
- Is there a thorough vision exam available?
- Where is the vision affected? (central/peripheral/distance)
- Does he/she have depth perception? (3D visibility)
- What about the non-Coats’ eye?
- To what extent is his/her vision affected?
- Will we be able to use this as a baseline to measure progress/decline?