Eye doctor wins Fedex fellowship

MANILA, Philippines - At the close of the FedExsponsored Flying Eye Hospital program in Manila, Dr. Buenjim Mariano, a pediatric ophthalmologist from St. Luke’s Medical Center International Eye Institute, was named FedEx Fellow as part of a program that awards ophthalmologists the opportunity to complete fellowship training at some of the world’s leading eye institutes. Dr. Mariano will complete a Neuro-Ophthalmology fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, UK under the tutelage of Dr. Gillian Adams.

“I am honored to receive this fellowship from FedEx allowing me the opportunity to specialize in neuro-ophthalmology, and to Dr. Adams for accepting me as a fellow,” said Dr. Mariano. “This is a subspecialty we currently do not have at St. Luke’s and is critical in diagnosing disorders that exist between the eye and the brain; disorders that can not only cause blindness, but can also be life threatening.”

A variety of eye disorders are caused by or associated with neurologic diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, strokes, and brain tumors. Neuro-Ophthalmology is a field that deals with such eye disorders, and neuro-ophthalmologists assess and treat a variety of visual complaints, including blurred vision and double vision.

In 2006, FedEx renewed its support to ORBIS with a $5.5-million commitment over five years, which includes financial, logistical and operational support for ORBIS and its Flying Eye Hospital. During this time, FedEx agreed to support 10 ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital programs and created the new fellowship initiative, the FedEx Fellows. These ophthalmic training fellowships target ophthalmologists from hospitals at the heart of the fight against blindness. By connecting the worlds of business, philanthropy and academia, the FedEx Fellowship Program makes a visible difference in the quality of people’s lives. Dr. Mariano is the ninth FedEx Fellow to be awarded under this program.

“By supporting the training of ORBIS and local doctors such as Dr. Mariano through our fellowship program, we aim to provide a boost to the ophthalmic expertise in Manila by enabling local doctors to learn from the very best in their field, and then return to the frontline of blindness prevention work in their local communities,” said Rhicke Jennings, managing director for FedEx Australasia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The Flying Eye Hospital program, at the invitation of St. Luke’s and sponsored by FedEx, conducted an intensive skills exchange program with eye care professionals from Aug. 30 to Sept. 10, which resulted in 86 patients being screened and 50 patients receiving treatment, both laser and surgical. Patients not selected for this program were scheduled for follow-up ORBIS programs.