For years, students, staff and faculty from the School have provided eye and vision care in developing countries through Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH). In 2017, Waterloo Optometry students formed their own student chapter, sVOSH Waterloo. Here are some highlights from trips the chapter completed this year, courtesy of sVOSH President Maryam Askarpoor.
Senegal
Senegal is sVOSH Waterloo's first trip that was not collaborated with anyone. With the help of [School staff member] Peter Stirling, we were able to send 9 students to Senegal to treat 563 patients.
Phillipines
We collaborated with Canadian Vision Care to send 10 of our students to Manila, Philippines to work in the Eye Train. The Eye Train was once an old and rusted abandoned train that has now been completely re-vamped into a beautiful clinic with plenty of equipment including a phoropter. We had the glasses custom made for each patient in the labs in Manila. We were also working alongside the local optometry students to learn from each other and together we treated 1,229 patients.
Jamaica
This trip was also in collaboration with Canadian Vision Care where we sent 10 students to a fully-equipped clinic in Montego Bay created by Canadian Vision Care and the local Lions Club. Students also visited Spanish Town in Jamaica to provide services to patients there as well. In total, 800 patients were served in Jamaica.
Haiti
This trip was in collaboration with sVOSH Pennsylvania. 12 UW Optometry students provided services to 1,334 patients.
Ukraine
Three UW Optometry students visited an orphanage campsite in the mountains of Vorokhta, Ukraine to provide services to 220 special needs children.
Manitoulin Island
We can't forget about the needs of our own country. Wiikwemikoong is a First Nations community on Manitoulin Island in Ontario. In collaboration with Dr. Andre Stanberry, sVOSH Waterloo sent 3 students to work alongside 4th year interns and Dr. Stanberry to provide services to 100 patients.
For each of the trips, we collaborated with local surgeons who will further be able to continue to care for patients who require it.
The executive members who were responsible in the organization of these 6 trips are: Maryam Askarpoor, Dana Mikkelsen and Sophia Capo.
