One-time project
2017 - Cañete, Peru2017
Cañete, Peru
From October 21th to 29th 2017, IRIS Mundial volunteers went to the Ernesto Mispireta Valdivia polyclinic in Peru to provide eye care to the community of Canete. The project was a great success! A dynamic team of 38 Canadian volunteers (ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, nurses and assistants) provided eye care to 2085 disadvantaged patients in the area. They all received a thorough eye exam, prescription glasses, sunglasses and/or ocular medications. In addition, 30 people among the patients received a cataract or pterygium surgery during the mission and thus regain sight, thanks to the partnership with the OftalmoSalud Clinic.
There were so many cases of cataracts, pterygium and high astigmatism! Today I think I have seen as many cases of severe pathologies as in my 30-year career …
Results
- Eye examinations: 2085 patients
- Medical examinations: 200 patients
- Ocular surgeries: 30
- Sunglasses: over 2150
- All people requiring prescription eyewear and ocular or systemic medications were able to get it.
Partners
- Lima Siglo XXI Rotary Club (principal partner)
- Municipality of Imperial
- OftalmoSalud Clinic
- Cañete Rotary Club
- Rezola Hospital
- Collaboration Santé internationale (medical donation)
- Allergan (medical donation)
- Bausch & Lomb (medical donation)
- Novartis (donation of $ 9,000)
- Rotary Club of Montreal (donation of $1,200)
I had the chance to live and experience an incredible trip, where through intensely busy days, I built relationships with wonderful
people. I believe that to live fully, we must be involved in projects like this! Helping people to restore their sight is a way to get involved for a cause that is important to me. It was a very rewarding trip … I hope to experience it another time.