News Release
February 1, 2013

Pat Dundas Joins KHISH Project Vision Team 

Teamwork Marketing’s Pat Dundas has joined the Kurtz Humanitarian Initiative for Southern Honduras (KHISH) in an administrative role and traveled with the team on their January “Project Vision” trip. 

Each year Project Vision volunteers travel to the town of San Lorenzo on a sight saving mission for those blinded by cataracts and to provide eyeglasses for those with poor vision. This team of U.S. based doctors, staff, and Honduran professionals are welcomed by the people whose trust has been gained by returning each January. Since 2005 KHISH has been providing medical and dental care, water purification systems and shelter construction in this the so-called "dry corridor" of the country and in particular the mountain villages of Puerto Grande and Moropocay.

In 2011 KHISH, in partnership with SEE International, added "Project Vision" life-changing sight restoration for those blinded by cataracts; people who cannot work, care for their children, or lead normal lives. The surgical team led by California ophthalmologist Dr. Carlos Martinez, screens hundreds of patients to identify those most in need. The surgical procedure to remove cataracts and implant artificial lenses (IOLs) is performed at San Lorenzo Hospital where a wonderful working relationship has been established. On the 2013 trip more than 130 surgeries where performed.

The barriers to medical care for these people are enormous. Our future hopes and plans call for the addition of a surgical suite and equipment at the hospital so that we can increase capacity and frequency of trips. 70% of Hondurans over age 50 have cataracts and 45,000 in the region need some sort of sight restoration.

Carlos Martinez, MD, Eye Physicians of Long Beach