How to Support LMEB
The Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia is a Non-Profit Transplant Agency that Provides People the Opportunity to Donate Eye Tissues, Healthcare Professionals the Means to End Blindness & Patients the Hope of Clear Vision.
As a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, we rely on financial contributions from our community to continue our mission. Your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. Please consult with a qualified tax advisor for more information.
Mission Critical Update:
Improving Our DSAEK/ DMEK Processing Program
Following the Success of our Slit Lamp Microscope Fundraiser, LMEB is looking for Donations to Assist as we Rejuvenate and Redesign our DSAEK and DMEK Processing Program.
LMEB was the first eye bank in the world to have a dedicated OR quality room for processing corneal tissue. Our State-of-the-Art facility in Sentara Norfolk General Hospital is purposefully designed to have everything we need to give the Gift of Sight all in one convenient location. The last few years have been marked by great innovation in the ways that corneal transplants occur, along with key changes in availability of donor tissue.
By transforming and modernizing our DSAEK/DMEK processing program as we keep our eyes on the future of Eye Banking, LMEB will continue to provide the following:
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Quality cornea tissue for local and global eye surgeons processed with modern, industry standard
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Efficient tissue placement with consistent, rapid processing times.
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Cost savings for patients, as well as a reduction of our carbon footprint, with less shipping of processed tissue.
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Best possible outcomes for patients as they receive the Gift of Sight.
You can't put a price on the precious
Gift of Sight...
However, it does cost money for us to be able to process that Gift. Lab equipment, storage medium, sterilization supplies, eye prep kits, donor family support, and ongoing clinical and community education, and the skilled and talented staff who keep our eye bank running smoothly all come at a monetary cost to our organization.
Although we do charge industry standard fees for our staff members' labor processing tissue, donated eye tissue itself is priceless, and is supplied with no charge for the tissue itself. It costs thousands of dollars to provide just one cornea for transplant. We rely on supporters like you to help cover that cost, so that we can continue to Give the Gift of Sight worldwide.
Other Ways to Make a Contribution
You may also make your financial contribution by mail. If sending in your contribution by mail, please be sure to include:
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Your Name
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Your Return Address (for us to mail your receipt letter)
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A check made out to "Lions Medical Eye Bank"
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Do not send cash through the mail!
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Optional: Any additional information about the contribution
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If the contribution is in memory or honor of a loved one​
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If the contribution is on behalf of an organization
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Please mail your gift to:
Lions Medical Eye Bank & Research Center of Eastern Virginia
600 Gresham Drive
Norfolk, VA 23507
Continuing Education as a Core Value
Your monetary contribution to the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia does so much more than help supply transplant tissue to those in need. Continuing education is one of our core values. Our lab facilities and state of the art OR help our staff continue to be on the cutting edge of transplant studies, and our conference area is utilized not only by in house staff, but also by our local community, including EVMS ophthalmology students, local Lions Clubs, and other groups interested in learning more about how we can better give the gift of sight worldwide.
With a nearly 20% increase in donor activity each year since 2005, the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia has become a model for other eye banks.
Every year, over 600 corneas and ocular tissue grafts are provided for transplant from local donors.
Congratulations to our Director of Transplant & Research, Brian Philippy, for receiving the 2021 Heise Award from the EBAA. LMEB has two Heise Award winners on staff - our Chief Executive Officer Dave Korroch was given the Heise Award in 2017.
Contributions Help Us Give the Gift of
Worldwide Perspective!
Your continued support helps the Lions Medical Eye Bank host lectures and continuing education for EVMS ophthalmology students, eye bank staff, healthcare professionals, local lions clubs, and interested community members which would not be possible without the global network of providers and eye bankers cultivated by our staff.
Dr. Jung-Yul Choi, Immediate Past President of Lions Clubs International, and his wife, Seong-Bok tour the facility, and Dr. Diego Ponzin, the Medical Director of Fondazione Banca degli Occhi del Veneto Onlus presents his work "Cornea Transplantation in the COVID Era, Fears, Hopes, and Lessons Learned".
Taking Care of Donor Families and Recipients
The Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia is not just a laboratory and tissue processing center. We appreciate that for every successful transplant, there is also a grieving family involved. Our administrative team handles all correspondence between donor families and recipients.
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LMEB's staff of caring and experienced professionals take over where the Donor Coordinators leave off to make sure that every family has access to information about their loved one's gifts, and handle anonymous correspondence between donor families and recipients in a timely and respectful manner. They also coordinate our biannual luncheons where local donor families and recipients come to celebrate the gift of sight, and remember those who were selfless enough to give that gift.
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Your contribution helps to ensure that both the lives of cornea donors and the precious gift of sight are celebrated locally in our community.
Questions?
We want to be certain that you know your monetary contribution to the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia is helping us accomplish our shared goal: to Give the Gift of Sight by providing people the opportunity to donate eye tissues, health care professionals the means to end blindness, and patients the hope of clearly seeing form, color, and motion. If you have any questions about our mission, your contribution, or how you can help us share the Gift of Sight locally or globally, please reach out today!