This Saturday, Lake Highlands residents Dr. Kenneth and Lila Foree depart for their 40th mission trip to Haiti in an effort to provide optical health care to villagers in need. When they land in Petit Goave on the southern peninsula of Haiti with 10 other volunteers, they’ll be restoring eyesight to residents of the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.

“It’s indescribable how their lives are changed,” Lila told me as she packed for her trip. “They walk down from the mountains for cataract surgery, and people who’ve been blind for years will be able to see.” Diagnostician Dr. Gary Fish, surgeon Dr. James Lehmann, and other staff will join them. “These humble, modest physicians say they are just doing what they can with the skills they’ve been given but, to me, it’s a miracle.” Lila first traveled to Haiti in 1976, invited by Dr. Leighton Farrell, her pastor at Highland Park United Methodist Church. “He was interested in global outreach,” she says, “and he wanted to involve people personally to share their experiences, skills and resources with others.” Her husband, then Chief of Ophthalmology at Baylor, joined her two years later. “The experience keeps us going back,” she says. “These people have no hope of seeing without our help.”

Sign up for our newsletter!

* indicates required

The mission has improved over the years, beginning with one small building then later adding a surgical building and a post-operative care center thanks to donations. But the project has had its challenges. “Over the years, Haiti has changed leadership many times, going from dictatorships to military coups to a struggling democracy. There’s no viable police force in control, and sometimes desperate people do desperate things. We’ve only had to cancel 3 trips in 33 years due to violence or unrest. Luckily, UN troops are there stabilizing things now.”

In addition to cataract surgery and other medical eye treatment, the team will provide eyeglasses and sunglasses donated by the community. If you’d like to donate your gently used glasses to their cause, you may leave them at them at 9003 Leaside or at Texas Retina Associates, 7150 Greenville Avenue, Suite 400. You can also make a monetary donation online or get more info at HPUMC.


Author

  • Carol Toler

    Blogger CAROL TOLER and her husband, Toby, are the parents of four LHHS graduates. She has an MBA from SMU and is the proud recipient of the Exchange Club of LH's Unsung Hero Award and Councilman McGough's Blake Anderson Public Service Award. She received LHHS PTA's Extended Service Award, FMJH PTA's Charger Award and a Life Membership from the LHFC PTA. She has moderated candidate debates for Dallas Mayor, Dallas City Council and RISD Trustee races and taught seminars on garnering publicity for nonprofits. She completed training with Dallas Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation and Inside RISD, and she's a sustaining member of LH Women's League. She has served on the boards of After8 to Educate, Dallas Free Press, Healing Hands Ministries and Camp Sweeney and chaired fundraisers for multiple Dallas nonprofits. Email ctoler@advocatemag.com.