Vision Quest

The Virginia Eye Foundation recently donated $20,000 to Western Tidewater Free Clinic (WTFC) to support access to vision care for Clinic patients. Karen Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of Virginia Eye Consultants, Virginia Eye Foundation, and all their affiliations stated, “We’re excited to make this donation and look forward to seeing how it can change the lives of some of the people here in Western Tidewater.”

The Foundation was started by Dr. John Sheppard of Virginia Eye Consultants, who wanted to create a way to fund sight-saving surgeries, access to care and education.

WTFC Executive Director Chet Hart shared, “Vision is such an extremely important component in the overall spectrum of health care. The relationship and funding from Virginia Eye Foundation really helps us serve those persons who have no other options and have not had eye care in years.”

Virginia Eye Foundation CEO Karen Spencer is shown here presenting the donation to WTFC Executive Director Chet Hart.

Read more in this news story from the Suffolk News Herald.

The Suffolk News Herald also followed up this story with an editorial about the importance of vision care, noting that “People who have untreated vision problems are likely unable to work and therefore have no means to be able to visit an eye doctor where they would have to pay full price for services, so the vision care at Western Tidewater Free Clinic is sorely needed.”

The mission of Western Tidewater Free Clinic is to provide high-quality, non-emergency health care to the residents of Western Tidewater (Franklin, Isle of Wight, Southampton County and Suffolk) who cannot otherwise afford it. To learn more visit www.wtfreeclinic.org.

For more information about supporting Western Tidewater Free Clinic or scheduling a tour or presentation for your group, call or email Ashley Greene, Director of Development, at (757) 923-1060 ext. 7025 or agreene@wtfreeclinic.org.