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4TH NATIONAL SIGHT WEEK SET FOR OCTOBER 20TH-26TH
We are pleased to announce that the dates for the 4th annual National Sight Week initiative are October 20th – 26th. Our goal is to not only increase the number of charitable cataract surgeries,
but to raise overall awareness of the need for the Operation Sight program.
Operation Sight is a network of volunteer organizations and ASCRS members who provide care to Americans unable to access or afford cataract surgery. Launched in 2014, Operation Sight matches eligible
patients with volunteer surgeons, and provides the administrative and financial assistance necessary to simplify the process. To date, it has provided over 2,500 charitable cataract surgeries to patients most in need.
In an effort to broaden the growing Operation Sight network and address the backlog of Operation Sight patients across the United States, the ASCRS Foundation began the National Sight Week initiative
in October of 2016. National Sight Week is a celebration of volunteerism, during which members of the ASCRS Operation Sight network are encouraged to contribute one or more charitable cataract surgeries in their own communities.
Interested in participating for the first time this year? Click
here to learn more.
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A CHALLENGE MET: ATTENDEES RAISE $64K THROUGH AERIE MATCH
In 2018,
Aerie Pharmaceuticals challenged attendees at the ASCRS ASOA Annual Meeting to collectively give $25,000 to the ASCRS Foundation to trigger an Aerie match of the same amount. Aerie’s challenge spurred an avalanche of giving that produced over $53,000 in
contributions in just a few days, including the match. This year, Aerie decided to raise the stakes, upping the match number to $30,000. The incredible attendees at this year meeting overwhelmed that number by raising $64,000, including the match. Many were
inspired in part by the stories of giving told through our Give Sight Graffiti Wall and the dynamic mural created by artist Scott Biersack.
We’re so inspired by your giving spirit and can’t wait to live up to the confidence that your donations endow.
With a recording-breaking 430 registrants, runners took to the streets alongside the harbor early morning Saturday May 5th to Run for Sight at the ASCRS ASOA Annual Meeting. The 7th
annual event, sponsored by
Johnson & Johnson Vision, raised over $13,000 for the Foundation’s humanitarian eye care programs.
Well-earned congratulations to Austin Fox, MD, the top male finisher in the 5k run at a blistering 17:46.34, and Kathryn Hatch, MD, the top female finisher at an equally impressive 21:20.11. Todd
Wahlberg was the top male finisher in the walk at 12:27.51 with Isabel McLean, MBBS, FRANZCO, finishing first in 15:08.88 for the women.
Visit the Run for Sight official site to download the
official results or access the
free event photos.
SPOTLIGHT ON A RESIDENT EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER
Every year through the Resident Excellence Awards, the ASCRS Foundation provides travel grants to enable 10 outstanding ophthalmic residents to attend the ASCRS ASOA Annual Meeting. We look for candidates
who show exemplary talent in and dedication to research, patient care, leadership, and education. This year thanks to an extra competitive field and a generous grant from an anonymous donor, the award was granted to 11 residents. Among that rarified group
was Dr. Austin Fox, a resident from the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. He received his medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile, Alabama. Dr. Fox became interested in ophthalmology
while working at an ophthalmology practice and watching cataract surgeries in college. During this experience, he “first realized the huge impact that ophthalmologists can have in restoring vision.”
In addition, Dr. Fox was recently awarded a Young Eye Surgeons (YES) Legislative Fly-In scholarship. He will travel to Washington, D.C. this summer to visit Capitol Hill and meet with local senators
and representatives. “Learning more about issues surrounding scope of practice, I have become more aware of the impact that legislation may have on different aspects of our practice and patient care,” he said. “I am looking forward to meeting colleagues and
legislators to learn more about these issues to ultimately improve patient care.”
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