With the help of a Northeast Ohio non profit, NEOMED’s Student for Sight organization is helping underserved and uninsured patients receive the proper eye care they deserve.
Meredith Spitz, a rising third-year College of Medicine student and past president of Students for Sight, shares more about the group.
What kind of outreach does Students for Sight provide for those in need?
MS: Students for Sight does a wide range of outreach for those in need. Our student organization is a part of Sight for All United, a non-profit organization based in Youngstown, Ohio.
Sight for All United, co-founded by Sergul Erzurum, M.D. (’88), associate professor of surgery, boasts a strong network of eye doctors that examine and treat patients. Through collaboration, the organization provides vision services for those in need by connecting patients with resources smoothly and quickly.
How can students make a difference by joining Students for Sight?
MS: Our organization participates in fundraisers throughout the year, including the annual Eye Ball and Golf Fore Sight events. Additionally, Students for Sight holds annual fundraisers at NEOMED and co-hosts “A Night in Their Shoes,” an annual event that allows NEOMED students to experience a dinner through the perspective of disabled people through many different simulations.
What is the goal of Students for Sight?
MS: To provide eye care services to the underserved population throughout Northeast Ohio. We also focus on Sight for All United’s mission, HEAL.
- Help every person reach his/her visual potential
- Educate the community on impact of poor eyesight
- Awareness of eye health and vision issues
- Lift barriers to access care.