Posted 3/21/01
White praised for volunteer work on behalf of Minnesota Lions Eye Bank
Donald White, of Grandstrand Funeral Homes, North Branch, was recently praised by the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank for his work as a volunteer enucleator.
White and more than 1,400 other volunteer enucleators in the state of Minnesota play an extremely important role in the eye donation process.
Enucleators are trained individuals who surgically remove donated eyes. Without the support of these volunteers, eye donation would cease to be an option for about half of those Minnesotans who need them annually; and, the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank (MLEB) would fall short in its mission to help prevent blindness and restore vision by providing eye tissue for corneal transplants.
Each year more than 1,000 families in Minnesota choose to donate the eyes of their deceased loved ones in order to give the gift of sight to others. This eye tissue, donated at the time of death, must reach the eye bank within 12 hours to preserve viability. The eye bank relies on a network of generous volunteers to accomplish this time-sensitive procedure.
In 1974, the Minnesota State Legislature authorized properly trained funeral directors to surgically remove tissue for use by the eye bank.
ìThis legislative move has proven to be essential in ensuring that the eye bank serves the entire state of Minnesota, not just those people in the metropolitan centers,î said Bruce E. Kuritzky, director of the outstate procurement at the MLEB.
Kuritzky explained that volunteers are on call 24 hours per day and often recover donor eyes under difficult circumstances.
ìThese individuals work full time jobs, raise families and participate in their communities in addition to assisting the eye bank,î according to the MLEB. ìThey offer their services without expectation of personal remuneration or reward.î
ìIt is difficult to adequately express our appreciation to these unselfish people,î Kuritzky said. ìWe are grateful for each volunteer we have on our team. Individuals like Donald White are vital to the success of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank.î
The cornea is the clear, contact lens-shaped tissue covering the colored part of the eye. Its job is to focus the light entering the eye. Corneas from donated eyes can restore vision for many people in danger of losing their sight due to injury or disease. There is no synthetic substitute for the human cornea.
For more information about eye donation and corneal transplantation, call 1-866-88-SIGHT, or, online, visit www.mnlionseyebank.org .