By Libni Sanjurjo / FCPR Communications Officer
The goal of VISTA Scholarship Fund was clear and precise: access to education for ophthalmology specialists residing in Puerto Rico. To achieve this, VISTA Eye Surgery Center established the fund in the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (PRCF), in 2017, in order to provide financial support to ophthalmologists interested in subspecialties in glaucoma, retina, cornea, oculoplastics, and oncology, and with community connections that would encourage their return to the island after studying their concentrations off-island.
According to the corporation's administrator, Angie L. Jiménez, The Board of Directors and ophthalmologist shareholders decided to promote this philanthropic initiative to financially support vision care professionals..
“We wanted to support doctors in continuing their sub-specialty studies, motivated by the desire to contribute to the training of better leaders and health professionals in Puerto Rico, and to encourage them to return to our island to offer first-class services to our population,” commented Jiménez.
The fund initially started as a temporary one, although “we continue developing this initiative with the aim of making it permanent,” Jiménez highlighted. The establishment of a scholarship fund, he explained, stood out as the ideal alternative for the corporation's philanthropic desire because “we believe that education is the most powerful tool to positively impact our medical class.” He also shared that they decided to establish the fund at the FCPR due to its “knowledge, experience, and established processes,” which facilitates the development of the philanthropic goal.
Although the fund was established only recently, it has already awarded $28,000 in scholarships to support the studies of six (6) ophthalmologists. The students have completed or are currently pursuing subspecializations in ophthalmic oncology, retina, glaucoma, cornea, and external eye diseases.
“The greatest satisfaction has been getting to know the scholarship applicants thoroughly and seeing that some current and former scholarship recipients have already returned to practice medicine on our island. This also confirms that the purpose of the scholarship has been fulfilled,” she mentioned. “Being able to help others is extremely satisfying. If you have the opportunity, don't miss it, you won't regret it,” she added.
On the other hand, Mary Ann Gabino, Senior Vice President of the FCPR, highlighted that the experience has been very rewarding, “as it has allowed us to delve into the knowledge of a field we were unfamiliar with, such as visual health. When we work with a donor to establish their fund, we enter into a process of mutual education, for the benefit of our communities in Puerto Rico, in this case, the visual health community.”
This is the second article in the series Philanthropy Stories, regarding the funds established, held, and administered by the Puerto Rico Community Foundation, on the occasion of its thirty-fifth anniversary.