Thankful for the Gift of Sight

A week or so ago, I was asked to come give a speech at the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research to speak for the Eye Bank Association of America at their 2017 Technician Education Seminar. Technicians from around the US and Canada attended the 3.5 day course and learned various aspects of eye banking through presentations, personal stories of donation, breakout sessions, demonstrations and case study discussions.

In 2012, I had two corneal transplants due to my Fuchs Dystrophy.  Fuchs is a hereditary eye disease and it was slowly making me go blind.  I spoke about My journey from diagnosis to my transplant surgery and recovery to today.

It was an honor to meet a mom, Dawn who gave a speech right before me.  Dawn's 19 year old son was very seriously injured in a car accident and she donated many of his organs including his eyes.  I have never met my donor families, but I think about my donors every day.  Getting to hug Dawn was about as close as I will get to hugging one of my donor families and it meant the world to me.

If you are not an organ donor, please consider  becoming one.  Let your family know your wishes.  You never know who you might help with this Gift of Life.