Thousands of beaming smiles and countless tears of joy wouldn’t have been possible without support from our partners and generous donors including corporations, service organizations, patients and individuals who are committed to the cause. Funding is still a primary focus for DukeGO as it is necessary to continue the success experienced over the last year.
LC Industries, a transformative supporter of Duke Eye Center, provided a substantial gift to help support the infrastructure and travel for DukeGO team members.
Miracles In Sight has been a significant partner and supporter of Duke Eye Center for many years, and also passionate about global ophthalmology. Their generous gift made possible the Duke Global Ophthalmology fellowship. Miracles in Sight also supplies cornea tissue needed for corneal transplants during sight saving missions.
Cure Blindness Project partnership
Health in Sight partnership
Rotarian Supports DukeGO with Portable Microscope
When Ann Evans, FNP, DrPH, a passionate Rotarian and global health advocate, set her sights on ‘making a difference’ in the growing public health problem of avoidable blindness, she found a mentor in Williams. Evans was in South Sudan in 2022 helping her friend Jill Seaman, MD, 2009 MacArthur Fellow, working with the Himalayan Cataract Project, when she met Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD. “Watching people who were blind have their cataract removed, an $8 lens replacement with a 10-minute procedure, and walk away the following day with sight restored, changed my life,” said Evans. “I saw Williams was passionate about curing blindness; I got infected by his passion.”
Evans, a nurse practitioner and educator, also noted a patient safety issue — the operating room floor was unstable, a dangerous situation for cataract surgery. She submitted to Rotary for a grant to stabilize the floor, which was approved and completed. But the following year Williams returned to South Sudan and the operating microscope was broken. When Evans learned about the broken microscope, she worked with her Charlotte International Rotary Club to raise money. Her daughter established a fundraiser — $80 for mom’s 80th birthday — and the club donated a portable operating microscope to DukeGO.
“I’m really proud of shepherding this project, supporting Williams and his vision for DukeGO, because he has the kind of passion and the connection of the heart and mind that makes good things happen,” said Evans.