Eversight Illinois

Programs: Tissue recovery, evaluation and distribution: we recover, evaluate and distribute corneal tissue that has been donated for sight-restoring transplantation. We also honor the gift of eye donation by making tissue that cannot be used for transplant available for researchers developing therapies and cures for blinding eye conditions, such as: diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. In addition, we ensure that corneal tissue is available to surgeons with patients who are financially restricted, uninsured or underinsured, including medicare reimbursement deficits, so that no person in our service area is denied sight-restoring corneal transplantation because of an inability to pay. Finally, through our distribution efforts we provide humanitarian aid to other countries where human eye tissue recovery and processing is not yet supported. Ocular tissue from eversight illinois has been used for mission trips and for corneal transplants on four continents.

public education and professional outreach: we embrace the philosophy of "community eye banking. " thus, eversight illinois promotes positive attitudes and education about eye, organ and tissue donation. We reach thousands of people through e-newsletters, annual reports, publications, events and public speaking. Our network of 150+ cultivated ambassadors and volunteers assists in this work. Our staff provides ongoing education to the health care field, hospitals, funeral directors, hospice workers, and medical examiners across our service area about donation and the need to honor a donor's gift. We work in tandem with other nonprofits, lions clubs, donate life illinois members, and the secretary of state's office to educate the public about registering to be eye, organ and tissue donors. Eversight illinois' team of community and professional staff members and volunteers work consistently throughout the year to promote eye health, sight-saving measures, eye care in clinical settings, and to dispel myths about eye, organ and tissue donation. In 2016, illinois' donation community hit a remarkable milestone of more than 6,000,000 registered donors. Eversight illinois is proud to have contributed to this achievement, and is thrilled that 58% of the state's adult population has said 'yes' to donation.

donor and recipient support: we respect and understand what donor families face when we ask them to uphold their loved one's wish to be a donor. We are also there for them when they are called upon to consider making this decision on behalf of their loved one. Outcome letters are sent to each donor family to let them know how their loved one's gift was utilized. Wrap-around support for the grieving process is part of community eye banking. Therefore as part of our donor programming we hold celebratory tribute events annually to support donor families and recipients. We support their ability to feel proud. After all, their loved one's gift provided sight for a transplant recipient, or helped to advance important ocular research and education initiatives. Eversight illinois provides recipient packets to all individuals receiving a cornea transplant to answer common questions and alleviate their fears. We reach out to all recipients of corneal tissue with eye health information, and we act as the convening partner for donor families and recipients that wish to communicate with each other. In fact, in 2015 our correspondence program connected more than 160 donor families and recipients. Eversight illinois also provides volunteer and speaking opportunities for recipients and donor families, many of whom find this work to be therapeutic. They embrace it as a way to honor the relationship and growing community of donor families and recipients in illinois.