The Gift of Sight

I had a wonderful opportunity this morning to learn about a fantastic medical team that flies all over the world to help restore sight to the blind, and train doctors world wide how to continue to perform these sight giving surgeries.  The organization is called Orbis and since 1982 it has been the world’s only Flying Eye Hospital!  Every year volunteers donate their time to sharing and exchanging skills with eye care teams in developing countries who desperately need the further training to meet the community’s eye care needs.  This onboard training restores sight, returns prospects and give people back their lives!!

Volunteer Pilots, leading Opthalmologists, Anaesthetists, Opthalmic nurses and Biomedical engineers make the operation possible. These highly trained, professionals sacrifice their own potential earnings to reach out to a world in need!

The team travels in a DC-10 aircraft that is being replaced with a new MD-10 later this year that has been graciously donated by FedEx. With the support of contributions from around the world the new airplane will be converted to a  flying hospital even more advance than the current plane illustrated in the images below.

The current Orbis DC10.    * Image provided by Orbis.

I photographed the teaching theatre on the DC10, this is where doctors watch real time as operations are performed on the plane.

This is the post-op area on the DC10

This is the fully equipped operating room.

And finally the HDR shot of the cockpit.

I made a small contribution to the effort and encourage everyone to be a part of this wonderful sight giving effort.  I also want to commend the  incredible pilots, and medical professionals that give their talents to the same ends.  The world would be a better place if more of us gave so freely, it’s already a better place because they have…….

the pilgrim

You can reach Orbis @:

Orbis International

520 Eighth Ave.  11th Floor

New York, NY    10018-6507

email:  flavia.draganus@orbis.org

Skype:  orbis_flavia_dragnus

www.orbis.org

Wonderful before and after teddy bears!!

P.S. Yes I did do an airplane shot this morning, a classic B17!!