May 2-6, 2010
In May 2010, 104 students and doctors divided into 7 groups and traveled to Belarus, Belize, Colombia, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru. By the end of the trips, we performed over 5,000 eye exams and distributed 5,741 pairs of prescription spectacles and non-prescription sunglasses!
2010 Trip Totals
Patients: 5177 Glasses: 4362 Sunglasses: 1379 Referrals: 433 Pathology: 1169
What a rewarding experience to be able to use the skills we learned in school to benefit those with limited access to eye care! See what our members have to say about their experience, and view pictures from our most recent trips.
2010 Trip Totals
Patients: 5177 Glasses: 4362 Sunglasses: 1379 Referrals: 433 Pathology: 1169
What a rewarding experience to be able to use the skills we learned in school to benefit those with limited access to eye care! See what our members have to say about their experience, and view pictures from our most recent trips.
Barranquilla, Colombia
Colombia Totals
Patients: 987 Glasses: 911 Sunglasses: 219 Referrals: 20 Pathology:160
Staff Doctor: Dr. Jill Pitts
SVOSH Members: Daniel Pridemore, Jon Reid, Janna Iyer, Gloria Ding, Catherine Abbott, Katey Shea, Celisha Merriman, Stephanie Hahn, Meredith Cole, Lauren Goldsmith, James Grant, Utham Balachandran, Tiffany Griffin
"On our trip to Colombia we saw almost 1000 patients, giving the majority of them glasses. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience being able to give them the gift of sight, especially for those who had never worn glasses before. It was also a great clinical building experience as it gave us the opportunity to practice all that we've learned at SCO."
- Catherine Abbott, Class of 2013
Patients: 987 Glasses: 911 Sunglasses: 219 Referrals: 20 Pathology:160
Staff Doctor: Dr. Jill Pitts
SVOSH Members: Daniel Pridemore, Jon Reid, Janna Iyer, Gloria Ding, Catherine Abbott, Katey Shea, Celisha Merriman, Stephanie Hahn, Meredith Cole, Lauren Goldsmith, James Grant, Utham Balachandran, Tiffany Griffin
"On our trip to Colombia we saw almost 1000 patients, giving the majority of them glasses. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience being able to give them the gift of sight, especially for those who had never worn glasses before. It was also a great clinical building experience as it gave us the opportunity to practice all that we've learned at SCO."
- Catherine Abbott, Class of 2013
Mazatlán, Mexico
Mazatlán Totals
Patients: 1015 Glasses: 1116 Sunglasses: 292 Referrals: 107 Pathology: 263
Staff Doctor: Dr. Daniel Taylor
SVOSH Members: Heather Hildebrand, Brett Miller, Jeannie Hu, Kelly Conyer, Jennifer Taylor Elder, John Elder, Erin Kindy, Rinku Patel, Catherine Kerr-Niermann, Megan Dillman, Paul Grigonis, Jennifer Craig
"I am glad that SVOSH at SCO was able to serve in Mazatlan. We saw over 1,000 people. That is more than any individual trips has seen in SCO's history. It was an area of great need and the people who came to see us really showed their appreciation. The Lions there did a wonderful job of making sure that we helped as many people as we could throughout our 4 days there. We gave out a lot of glasses and saw a lot of smiles."
- Brett Miller, Class of 2012
Patients: 1015 Glasses: 1116 Sunglasses: 292 Referrals: 107 Pathology: 263
Staff Doctor: Dr. Daniel Taylor
SVOSH Members: Heather Hildebrand, Brett Miller, Jeannie Hu, Kelly Conyer, Jennifer Taylor Elder, John Elder, Erin Kindy, Rinku Patel, Catherine Kerr-Niermann, Megan Dillman, Paul Grigonis, Jennifer Craig
"I am glad that SVOSH at SCO was able to serve in Mazatlan. We saw over 1,000 people. That is more than any individual trips has seen in SCO's history. It was an area of great need and the people who came to see us really showed their appreciation. The Lions there did a wonderful job of making sure that we helped as many people as we could throughout our 4 days there. We gave out a lot of glasses and saw a lot of smiles."
- Brett Miller, Class of 2012
Mérida, Mexico
Mérida Totals
Patients: 756 Glasses: 616 Sunglasses: 186 Referrals: 81 Pathology: 182
Staff Doctors: Dr. Justin Beavers, Dr. Dan Smith
SVOSH Members: Meredith Jarvis, Rajal Noorali, Seth Salley, Afsaneh Amini, Nora Cothran, Geoff Church, Andrea Chancey, Heather Jones, Rachana Shah, Maria Kirkpatrick, Jeremiah Dell, Emily Dell, Sara Faulkenberry, Sarah Bassett
Patients: 756 Glasses: 616 Sunglasses: 186 Referrals: 81 Pathology: 182
Staff Doctors: Dr. Justin Beavers, Dr. Dan Smith
SVOSH Members: Meredith Jarvis, Rajal Noorali, Seth Salley, Afsaneh Amini, Nora Cothran, Geoff Church, Andrea Chancey, Heather Jones, Rachana Shah, Maria Kirkpatrick, Jeremiah Dell, Emily Dell, Sara Faulkenberry, Sarah Bassett
Lima, Peru
Peru Totals
Patients: 717 Glasses: 610 Sunglasses: 214 Referrals: 94 Pathology: 273
Staff Doctor: Dr. Brandon Wax, Dr. Steve Sulyi, Dr. Marc Hudson
SVOSH Members: Deanna Dowler, Cece Crawford, Elizabeth Turnage, Janessa Hartman, Jean Nguyen, Kala Brown, Sarah Rosinski, Kat Paulsen, Nels Paulsen, Ben Dixon, Jared Nelson
"Our trip to Peru was an amazing experience. We provided glasses for those who needed them and made many referrals- everyone was so appreciative! The knowledge and experience we gained in the clinic was priceless. The Lima Lions Club helped pay for people to have cataract surgery and they were wonderful hosts. We made friends with almost everyone we met and are still keeping in touch with some of them."
- Kala Brown, Class of 2013
Patients: 717 Glasses: 610 Sunglasses: 214 Referrals: 94 Pathology: 273
Staff Doctor: Dr. Brandon Wax, Dr. Steve Sulyi, Dr. Marc Hudson
SVOSH Members: Deanna Dowler, Cece Crawford, Elizabeth Turnage, Janessa Hartman, Jean Nguyen, Kala Brown, Sarah Rosinski, Kat Paulsen, Nels Paulsen, Ben Dixon, Jared Nelson
"Our trip to Peru was an amazing experience. We provided glasses for those who needed them and made many referrals- everyone was so appreciative! The knowledge and experience we gained in the clinic was priceless. The Lima Lions Club helped pay for people to have cataract surgery and they were wonderful hosts. We made friends with almost everyone we met and are still keeping in touch with some of them."
- Kala Brown, Class of 2013
May Pen, Jamaica
Jamaica Totals
Patients: 557 Glasses: >343 Sunglasses: >102 Referrals: 89 Pathology: 201
Staff Doctors: Dr. John Adams, Dr. Andy Kaminsky
SVOSH Members: Sara Lemay, Crystal Mirza, Matt Willis, Brandon Blevins, Chris Pena, Tripper Robinson, Sara Myers, Whitney Pollock, Hilary Cox, Truc Ly Nguyen
"It is an unexplainable feeling when you watch the joy on a face of a child who is seeing for the first time or hear the thanks of an older person who can now continue to perform their job due to the glasses they have received. The people of Jamaica are so welcoming and thankful even though they have so little. We learned more from our patients there and the care we were able to provide to them than we could in a year here in Memphis."
- Hilary Cox, Class of 2012
Patients: 557 Glasses: >343 Sunglasses: >102 Referrals: 89 Pathology: 201
Staff Doctors: Dr. John Adams, Dr. Andy Kaminsky
SVOSH Members: Sara Lemay, Crystal Mirza, Matt Willis, Brandon Blevins, Chris Pena, Tripper Robinson, Sara Myers, Whitney Pollock, Hilary Cox, Truc Ly Nguyen
"It is an unexplainable feeling when you watch the joy on a face of a child who is seeing for the first time or hear the thanks of an older person who can now continue to perform their job due to the glasses they have received. The people of Jamaica are so welcoming and thankful even though they have so little. We learned more from our patients there and the care we were able to provide to them than we could in a year here in Memphis."
- Hilary Cox, Class of 2012
Belmopan, Belize
Belize Totals
Patients: 628 Glasses: 493 Sunglasses: 320 Referrals: 18 Pathology: 90
Staff Doctor: Dr. Beth Sparrow
SVOSH Members: Kyle Dohrman, Sarah Sweeney, Shannon Iwanski, Liz Dow, Joanna Gebhardt, Mike Gebhardt, Nicole Kosciuk, Andrew Brauer, Savannah Lamb, Carolyn Ichter, Sara Pourheydarian, Brandi Salazar, Lacie Truitt
Patients: 628 Glasses: 493 Sunglasses: 320 Referrals: 18 Pathology: 90
Staff Doctor: Dr. Beth Sparrow
SVOSH Members: Kyle Dohrman, Sarah Sweeney, Shannon Iwanski, Liz Dow, Joanna Gebhardt, Mike Gebhardt, Nicole Kosciuk, Andrew Brauer, Savannah Lamb, Carolyn Ichter, Sara Pourheydarian, Brandi Salazar, Lacie Truitt
Minsk, Belarus
Belarus Totals
Patients: 517 Glasses: 273 Sunglasses: 46 Referrals: 24 Pathology:
Staff Doctors: Dr. Dan Smith, Dr. Karen Kehbein
SVOSH Members: Zachary Engle, Dustin Honeyman, Kinsey Rives, Elizabeth Kilgore, Thomas Johnson, Ginger Delafosse, Jessica Nichols, Kendra Dalton, Lucas Bell, Heidi Fouch, Adam Rudd, Joe Olson
"The people of Belarus were so kind to host us in their country for a second year in a row. Even though they didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak Russian, they welcomed us and were extremely appreciative of our eye care services. We traveled out to remote villages around the town of Oktobersky to see approximately 600 patients, most of them were children, and we dispensed about 300 glasses. The care that we provide is unparalleled and it is such a great learning experience for everyone."
- Jessica Nichols, Class of 2012
Patients: 517 Glasses: 273 Sunglasses: 46 Referrals: 24 Pathology:
Staff Doctors: Dr. Dan Smith, Dr. Karen Kehbein
SVOSH Members: Zachary Engle, Dustin Honeyman, Kinsey Rives, Elizabeth Kilgore, Thomas Johnson, Ginger Delafosse, Jessica Nichols, Kendra Dalton, Lucas Bell, Heidi Fouch, Adam Rudd, Joe Olson
"The people of Belarus were so kind to host us in their country for a second year in a row. Even though they didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak Russian, they welcomed us and were extremely appreciative of our eye care services. We traveled out to remote villages around the town of Oktobersky to see approximately 600 patients, most of them were children, and we dispensed about 300 glasses. The care that we provide is unparalleled and it is such a great learning experience for everyone."
- Jessica Nichols, Class of 2012