By Carrie Wolverton, Global Development Director
This fall, Eversight’s Global Development team welcomed Dr. Shama Khan at Eversight headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Dr. Khan is a senior consultant corneal surgeon at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, an eye hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital was established in 1985 to prevent and manage blindness by providing standard and sustainable eye care services that are accessible and affordable to all. In 2019, Al-Shifa partnered with Eversight to open its first state-of-the-art eye banks as part of a new national eye banking network.
Dr. Khan first arrived at University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center to spend time training with Eversight Medical Directors Shahzad I. Mian, MD, and Nambi Nallasamy, MD.
Her visit with us at Eversight included a tour of the facility and a comprehensive presentation on eye banking given by me and Collin Ross, Eversight Vice President of Global Development & Partner Relations. Dr. Khan also spent time in our lab practicing with surgical tissue under the guidance of resident wet lab expert and Partner Development Director Michael Szkarlat.
The second day of the visit, Dr. Khan mingled with Eversight staff over coffee before heading to another educational presentation about how eye, organ and tissue donation programs are run in the United States, given by Clinical Operations Managers Dawn Shipp and Erin Papkey.
This informative and immersive session, accompanied by excellent questions and dialogue, helps Eversight partners begin addressing the often challenging process of establishing a local eye donation program in communities that do not have one.
Dr. Khan has returned to Pakistan with more skills and knowledge to prepare tissue for transplant and perform life-changing corneal transplants in her local community. More people will be able to receive the precious gift of sight because of her dedication to education and desire to be the best surgeon she can be.
Eversight partners with local governments and medical professionals worldwide, working together to establish sustainable eye banking infrastructure and local eye donation programs to make vision a reality where the need is greatest.
Eversight welcomes current and prospective partners, financial supporters, community members and more to visit and tour our facilities, learn about eye banking and meet our amazing team.
Contact info@eversightvision.org to learn more and give financially today to support critical global training and education opportunities.
