by Tamarreo Tatum
The UAB School of Optometry’s Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH) team traveled to Penonomé, Panama, treating 341 patients during the weeklong trip. This trip was funded largely through support from alumni in the Class of 1978, with additional contributions from student fundraising efforts.
One of the most memorable moments came when former SVOSH President Anna Ren met a five-year-old girl with bilateral congenital cataracts.
“I’m usually nervous around children because they’re not always reliable historians,” Ren said. “But when I saw her white pupils, my stomach flip-flopped.”
Despite the language barrier, the child remained cheerful and brave, even calmly accepting eyedrops, something many children fear. Thanks to the team’s efforts, she is now scheduled to have her cataracts removed in December.
The trip was the result of months of planning and collaboration. The group’s faculty advisor, Sandra Wang-Harris, OD, MPH, led the coordination efforts, working with Mario Him, OD, of the Lions Club in Penonomé, and Nadiuska Platero, OD, who leads students in the Universidad Especializada de las Américas (UDELAS) Optometry program.
Packing for the trip was a team effort, with students organizing and preparing equipment across multiple sessions. Despite thorough planning, the team faced challenges on the ground including clinics without Spanish interpreters.
“It was tough for non-Spanish speakers like me,” Ren said. “But I was amazed by Delaney, a rising second-year student who had just started learning clinical skills. She picked up exam techniques and Spanish phrases quickly, showing incredible bravery and adaptability.”
The Panama trip exemplified SVOSH’s mission and the values of the school, collaboration, compassion, and commitment to service.
“We worked long clinic days, often 8-9 hours, with staggered lunches, and no one slacked off,” Ren said. “Even on our off days, we bonded over UNO games and Panamanian meals. It was the kind of teamwork and camaraderie that made this trip so special.
SVOSH continues to provide free, comprehensive eye care and eyeglasses to underserved populations around the world, enriching the lives of both student clinicians and the patients they serve. Because of amazing leadership within SVOSH, the organization remains committed to expanding its reach but volunteering in underdeveloped countries around the world.