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"I
participated in a miracle," says Kathy Spahn
'76, recalling an unforgettable experience aboard a DC-10 jet
eye surgery hospital where a young blind boy was being treated by an apprehensive
medical staff. The
child's eye had been severely damaged; surgery had been his only hope
for recovery. Kathy and the other spectators remained breathless while
his final bandages were loosened. The surgeon cautiously questioned the
child about his surroundings. To everyone's heartache the boy stayed quiet,
until the doctor off-handedly remarked that he thought himself a handsome
man. The child giggled and looked up at the surgeon, shaking his head
as if to say, "I'm not so sure about that, Doc." The boy's laughter left
no doubt. He could see.
A
memorable moment? Yes. Uncommon? Not so much. For nearly two decades,
an organization known as ORBIS has operated the world's first and only
flying eye hospital and teaching center. At its helm is Kathy, whose Oberlin-nurtured
humanitarian spirit has reached all corners of the globe. Her work in
the arts community and among people with AIDS included five years as executive
director of God's Love We Deliver, a New York-based agency battling malnutrition
and hunger among those with HIV/AIDS.
Two
years ago Kathy was named president and executive director of ORBIS, a
$30-million organization determined to improve the quality and access
of eye-care systems in developing countries, particularly among children.
ORBIS reports that 80 percent of people who are blind need not be; impairments
could be prevented or cured with routine techniques. The developing world
is home to 90 percent of the blind, people without access to medical attention
and who are unaware that treatment exists.
Since
its first mission, the flying hospital has presented more than 460 programs
in 80 countries, training 54,000 doctors and treating 23,000 patients
in Cuba, Syria, Mongolia, Bulgaria, the Philippines, Myanmar, the Dominican
Republic, Germany, and more.
"The
volunteer doctors always impress me," says Kathy from her New York office.
"They fly coach and take a week's vacation away from their practices.
They spend 20 to 25 hours travelling to developing countries where they
may not know the language. The compassion and heart they have are just
amazing."
Instructional
sessions aboard the DC-10 hospital are impressive and intense; a 25-member
team of surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers, anesthesiologists, pilots,
and mechanics staff each three-week program.
Potential
patients are screened to determine which medical conditions offer the
best opportunities for demonstrating surgical techniques. Patients are
prepped and taken to the plane's laser surgery or operating room, and
52 local doctors watch the procedure from a classroom aboard the aircraft.
An interactive video system lets them watch, hear, and question ORBIS
surgeons as they operate. Hundreds of more surgeons join in via "wet labs"--classrooms
set up inside the airport, in which they practice new skills on artificial
eyes. Upon completion of the program, ORBIS leaves the doctors training
videos in their native languages.
The
adage "...teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime" has become ORBIS'
unofficial creed, says Kathy, whether in the boardroom or the operating
room. And how has the job affected her personally? "Every time I come
back to the U.S., I kiss the ground. I've never been more appreciative
of what I have."