Our Heroes
Our Heroes symbolize the thread of generosity, altruism, and compassion that is common to all donors and their families, while celebrating the lives of recipients that have been forever transformed. It is truly a mosaic of those impacted by the compassionate act of eye, tissue, and organ donation. The stories below are a reflection of the selfless contributions donors made to help heal and save lives. We are forever grateful for their kindness and generosity.
It is our honor and privilege to share these photos and stories.
The Story of Anne
Anne Ngo Moug, from Cameroon, Africa was losing vision quickly in one eye after giving birth to her baby girl. The idea of not being able to cook for her family or watch her children grow up was devastating to her and her husband, Robert. Anne was connected with Lions World Vision Institute to help restore her vision—her sight and hope, she says, have been restored for a lifetime. Our international team worked tirelessly with ophthalmologists to find a surgeon connected with their network and together, the Lions World Vision Institute was able to donate a cornea free of charge to help the new mother see again.
Anne recounts that she couldn’t believe how fast the cornea was ready for transplant after Lions World Vision Institute connected her with the surgeon in Kenya.
Following the surgery, Anne discovered she was pregnant with a new baby girl, and she was even more grateful to have received the gift of sight.
“I would like everyone to know that life is a gift and the eyes are the light to the body, and it’s important to look for positivity in all things” says Anne. “Before the surgery I could barely see the letters on the page of a book, but after my surgery, I can see even the smallest letters now.”
“You know hope is a strong word that most people don’t really measure, and I experienced hope in your gift to me that my household will never forget. It is a privilege for me to transmit this hope to others.”
Making A Difference
Andrew
Learn More“Even if Andrew couldn’t live, he would want other people to,” Andrew’s mother said. “We can all do our part with good deeds and pay it forward to change lives.”
The Story of Andrew
Andrew Dorsey was an ambitious 27-year-old known for his kindness and compassion. He would go out of his way to help total strangers and did his best to make everyone feel like they belonged.
When Andrew passed away, his mother, Shebna, found comfort in knowing that Andrew’s generosity would live on through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The decision was easy for Shebna; she jokes that Andrew would have given someone his arm while he was still alive if he thought it would help.
Thanks to Andrew’s selfless gift of his corneas, we were able to give the gift of sight to two people living with blinding eye diseases.
A year after Andrew’s passing, Shebna continues to educate others about organ donation, dispelling common misperceptions and encouraging people to be “Dorsey Strong.” The generosity of people like Andrew is vital to our global mission to improve visual outcomes and quality of life for those who are blind or visually impaired.
Li Hua
Learn More“This experience has convinced me of the great love shown by those who donate organs of those they love who have passed away.”
Li Hua
Li Hua was painfully sensitive to light which made everyday tasks difficult. This made her unable to independently take care of herself and care for her family members, which is something she immensely enjoyed.
She has regained her sight and is free from pain thanks to her corneal transplants and Lions World Vision Institute. Before the surgery, she could not see her own features, let alone the faces of those she loves and would have missed the beauty of her granddaughter on her wedding day.
Li Hua wrote an anonymous letter to her donor’s family. “Thank you for the great love you showed me in donating the cornea of your loved one. Your gift has allowed me to regain sight, continue living life to the fullest and spend time with those I love. Thank you for your generosity. It has meant the world to me.”
