Lions host eye care mission to SVG

The Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG recently hosted a 25-member mission of eye specialists from the USA under their annual Eye Care 4U project, which ran from May 26-31, 2024.

During that period the team, comprising highly skilled ophthalmologists, optometrists, surgery technicians, nurses and other professional related volunteers, performed eye clinics and surgeries, a release from the Club states.

This was the 48th visit of the USA Mobile Medical Mission to St. Vincent, in partnership with the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG and the Ministry of Health. During that period, the team successfully performed 101 cataract-related procedures and corneal transplants at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), at no cost to the patients. This included a corneal transplant on both eyes for 11-year-old Shandean Brackin.

Additionally, more than 750 people received free eye care screenings, as well as blood pressure and glucose monitoring at the designated medical facility located at the Community College, Villa campus. Several outreach programmes were also facilitated, including one at the St. Benedicts Day Nursery and Children’s Home. A home visit was also made to a 103 year old female of Kingstown Park. Follow-up visits and referrals were recommended where necessary, and reading and distance eye glasses were provided free of charge. Each person was also provided with a pair of sunglasses.

The annual collaboration has facilitated numerous ophthalmological interventions for patients over the years. Additionally, the Club said the medical teams have made several tangible donations including eye glasses to patients, and machinery and medical supplies to the MCMH over the years.

The members of the Lions Club of Kingstown-SVG said they are thankful to the members of the Mobile Medical Mission for working tirelessly to ensure that so many individuals were able to benefit from this service, as well as several businesses and others whose input ensured the success of the mission.

In the release, the Club noted that it was in 1925 that Helen Keller addressed a Lions Club International Convention and challenged Lions to be “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Decades later, vision has become one of the five core areas of service for the organization, the other four being: Diabetes, Hunger, Environment and Childhood Cancer. The annual vision mission is in fulfilment of this challenge.