Gary Brickley

Position: Board Member

For more than three decades, Gary Brickley has played a pivotal role in the Bay Area film and event production industries. Along with wife Annelle, the third generation San Franciscan oversees the rental and distribution of equipment and supplies through his eponymous company, Brickley Production Services. Gary has amassed over 45 years in the production industry and has an extensive background in theater, film, and events. He has worked on the sets of such beloved films as Mrs. Doubtfire, The Matrix, and The Pursuit of Happyness. He has also played an integral part in productions including the America’s Cup, the Golden Gate Bridge 150th Anniversary Celebration, and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. His company also provides support for a variety of nonprofit organizations including the Arthritis Foundation, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Women for Women International, and Beautiful Lengths, a program dedicated to providing cancer patients with real-hair wigs.

At 27-years-old, Gary was diagnosed with idiopathic macular telangiectasia, which doctors later deemed Coats’ Disease. For the past 35 years, he has been treated by Dr. Richard McDonald of West Coast Retina in San Francisco, and he continues to make strides in his journey, living an active lifestyle and focusing on a positive prognosis for the future. As an avid road and trail runner, Gary regularly participates in races ranging from 5K to 50 miles, and he recently ran the New York City Marathon with his daughter. He’s also run several of the 200-mile Relay for Life races which benefit Organs R Us, a nonprofit working to promote organ donation through athletics.

Gary, his two children, Aaron and Erika, and his 95-year-old mother Anne were recently accepted into the Genentech Coats’ Disease Patient Registry, a critical component in current research efforts which Gary and many others believe may one day lead to a cure. As a friend of the McGovern family, he is honored to hold a position on the board of the Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation and looks forward to offering continued support.

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?