My name is Shannon, I’m the daughter of Sharon. I’m very heartbroken that my mom suddenly passed away, however I’m glad she was able to donate her cornea to you. Read More
Success Story – Shannon, Donor Family
InSights
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Chris Davis – Cornea Recipient
Hi, My name Chris Davis, I’m a former U.S. Coast Guard swimming Instructor, and in 1991 I was diagnosed with an eye disease called KERATOCONUS, which is the thinning of the Cornea. Upon my initial diagnosis and beyond, My vision was a MESS! Cars tail lights, especially at night, looked like airplane propellers and the basketball rim was an orange blur. I often rendered undeserving salutes to fellow shipmates because I couldn’t see the rank insignia on his or her collar clearly.Read More
Success Story – Ashley, Donor Family
Hello,
This may come off as strange or invasive (I truly hope that it does not), however I’ve been wanting to reach out to you for some time now. My name is Ashley, and I am the daughter of the man who donated his eyes to you. I want you to know that upon the unexpected loss of my dad, receiving the news that he has helped someone so immensely brought great comfort to me and to the rest of my family. Read More
Success Story – Father Len, Cornea Recipient
Dear Special Messengers of Hope:
As a recent recipient of a donated cornea, I can attest to how such a gift can be life changing.
Following my procedure, the doctor said she had some good and bad news. She indicated I couldn’t have received a better graft, but it came from a young child, which makes this letter particularly difficult.
Miracles In Sight Honored By IFB Solutions With 2018 Commodore Funderburk Visionary Award
(WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.) — Miracles In Sight (MIS), a nonprofit eye bank that recovers, processes and distributes ocular tissue, was honored for its continued partnership and support of IFB Solutions’ mission with the 2018 Commodore Funderburk Visionary Award. For many years, Miracles In Sight has been a strong supporter of IFB’s community outreach initiatives.
Miracles In Sight President and CEO Dean Vavra accepted the award. Vavra has served on IFB’s board of directors since 2013 and was instrumental in connecting MIS with IFB to advance both organizations’ missions.
“Dean recognized the synergies between our two organizations and Miracles In Sight has been a generous supporter in helping us fulfill our mission of providing opportunities to people who are blind and visually impaired,” said IFB Solutions President and CEO David Horton. “We are incredibly appreciative of their partnership and support and congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.”
Miracles In Sight partnered with IFB in 2013 to create the Eye Care and Education Center and supported the launch of a mobile vision center with a nearly $1 million donation. It has advanced the mission of IFB’s SEE After School Program with the purchase of buses to transport blind or visually impaired children and teens to Tracy’s Little Red School House where they receive essential life and social skills. Miracles In Sight also partners with IFB at the Durham Community Low Vision Center.
“We strive to make a positive impact on the lives of as many people who are living with curable blindness. It is an honor to receive this award,” said Vavra. “MIS is proud to support IFB and its programs. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come.”
The Commodore Funderburk Visionary Award is named after Commodore Funderburk who joined IFB Solutions as a mattress-maker in 1963. He could not hear, see or speak. In 41 years of working at IFB, he never missed a day of work.
MIS was presented with the award during IFB Solutions annual banquet in April.
About Miracles In Sight
Miracles In Sight (formerly the North Carolina Eye Bank), based in Winston-Salem, N.C., USA is one of the largest eye banks in the world. The mission of Miracles In Sight is to support the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of sight through transplant, research, education and innovation. A significant part of this mission is stewardship focused on training and educating the medical community and supporting partners and organizations around the world. For more information, visit www.miraclesinsight.org.
About IFB Solutions
IFB Solutions is a nonprofit corporation that provides employment, training and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. In 2000, IFB began producing eyeglasses for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a customer partnership that remains today with IFB supplying eyeglasses to nearly 40 VA locations in the United States. As the largest employer of people who are blind or visually impaired in the United States, IFB operates the optical lab and a large-scale manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem, N.C., along with manufacturing facilities in Asheville, N.C., and Little Rock, Ark. Through its operations and community support, IFB Solutions funds programs for adults and children who are blind or visually impaired. For more information, visit http://www.ifbsolutions.org/.
Restoring Vision Worldwide
Miracles In Sight Aims To End Corneal Blindness
BY ISAAC L. PERRY, BS, MBA, CEBT
At Miracles In Sight, a nonprofit eye bank that recovers, processes, and distributes ocular tissue, our goal is to bring vision and hope to the world. We recover tissue from about 6,000 eyes each year, about 70% of which are transplanted. The tissue that doesn’t meet quality standards is used for surgical training or research at academic institutions. Our tissue preparation services cover all types of cornea surgery. What’s more, because the supply of corneal tissue in the United States exceeds demand, we distribute tissue internationally and continually find new ways to help the blind.
Future innovations revolve around the three core components of health care’s so-called iron triangle: cost, quality, and access. As we continue to develop our service offerings around these ideals, several fertile areas for innovation have emerged.
Making Key Connections
Miracles In Sight responds to notifications by the central organ procurement organization that someone has died and may be a candidate for donation. We discuss this option with families during a very difficult time in their lives, just hours after they have lost a loved one. Often, the death is unexpected and the donor may be relatively young. Ultimately, we want to gain consent and move forward with recovery, but we know firsthand that the decision to donate — while every generous and profound — is also extremely difficult, especially when it’s made at such a painful time.
Our goal as an organization is to continually strengthen our bonds with donors and families, recognizing their enormous generosity and, ultimately, helping them derive some meaning from a devastating loss. We let families know that thanks to their generosity, a blind person may regain his or her vision in a few days. Donor families are sent a thank you letter and a blanket as a token of appreciation.
Through community outreach, we strive to educate our local population about the benefits of donation with the goal of generating an open discussion. We encourage people to talk to their families about their desire to donate, so that if their family members are faced with an unexpected tragedy, they’re prepared to make the decision based on knowledge of their loved one’s wishes. This informed decision allows us to recover tissue more quickly, which can lead to better surgical outcomes.
Read the entire article in The Ophthalmic ASC’s February 2018 Edition.
