|
SRW Accomplishments
HOW TO IMPROVE 100 LIVES A DAY — 2016
 By Mary Dowling and Sylvia Boomsma
On a cold January morning in 2016, an SRW team gathered at the Madison airport, ready and eager for our third eyeglass mission to Honduras at the Providence World Ministries (PWM) John Eaves Clinic. Team members came from the Madison and Chicago areas, brought together by a shared purpose: to help as many people as possible see more clearly and live more fully.
Our two ophthalmologists, Drs. David Gamm and Neil Lucchese, were seasoned volunteers who had served on many SRW mission teams. We had asked the PWM staff physician, Dr. Bertha Turcios, to arrange for 100 eye patients each day — and she made it happen beautifully. Local communities and churches brought patients to the clinic by bus, and the day after our arrival, the eye exams began.
Over just five and a half days, we examined 578 adults and children. Five children were identified for future surgery to correct strabismus (crossed eyes), and 15 children needed glasses — a need SRW is committed to meeting for every child diagnosed by an eyeglass mission team. In all, 492 people received one or more pairs of eyeglasses to correct their vision. Those glasses did far more than sharpen sight; they opened doors to learning, working, caring for family, and participating more fully in community life.
We are deeply grateful to Bonnie V. and Kim L. for their skill, patience, and good humor in running the optical shop throughout the mission. We also thank the Lions Clubs of Wisconsin for the recycled eyeglasses that made it possible to serve so many people. A special thank-you goes to the local La Providencia School students, ages 12-18, who served as interpreters all week in every area of the clinic. Their energy, kindness, and dedication were a true gift to the team and to the patients we served.
The arrangements made by the PWM staff allowed us to see the maximum number of patients and ensured that our equipment and supplies were ready when we needed them. Our partnership with PWM — and with you, our supporters — is what makes these missions possible. Together, we helped improve hundreds of lives, one pair of glasses at a time.
Team members were:
David Gamm, MD
Neil Lucchese, MD
Mary Dowling, RN
Pat Kreibich, RN
Lynn Lucchese-Soto, Assistant
Bonnie Verges, Optician
Kim Leanna, Optician
Gary Haefer, Biomedical Engineer
|
|
|
Join Us on Facebook