VisionGift

04/01/2026

During National in April, we honor the people who have given the gift of life, sight and mobility. We also celebrate the lives that have been saved and healed because of a donor’s generosity.

This year’s theme uses trees as a symbol of life and connection. Just like trees grow and support each other in a forest, donation connects people – donors, recipients, and their families. Like a tree that grows and stands for generations, a donor’s gift leaves a lasting legacy of hope and life.

today! Share your decision!

Donate Life America
Eye Bank Association of America
Donate Life Northwest

03/31/2026

We’re so pleased to feature Dr. Winston Chamberlain in our ongoing video series, 5 Questions, and truly appreciate him volunteering his time to be part of it.

Dr. Chamberlain brings remarkable expertise and leadership to the field of ophthalmology. He treats patients at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, serves as an Affiliate Professor of Ophthalmology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), and has an impressive academic and clinical background that includes Caltech, a PhD in Immunology, an MD from the University of Colorado Anschutz and fellowship training in cornea and external diseases at UC Irvine.

His research interests include corneal transplant surgery outcomes, particularly with the femtosecond laser, DSAEK, and DMEK, as well as inflammatory responses in the cornea. In addition to his clinical and academic work, Dr. Chamberlain has also served in important leadership roles with the Eye Bank Association of America, including as Chair of the Medical Advisory Board, and now as Chair-elect of the Eye Bank Association of America Board of Directors.

We’re grateful for his support at VisionGift, his service to the field, and his willingness to help us spotlight the people and work behind sight restoration.

03/27/2026

The VisionGift Board of Directors announces that Chris Stoeger advised he will retire as Chief Executive Officer at the end of this year after a distinguished career advancing eye donation and corneal transplantation.

Chris’s leadership has played a defining role in strengthening VisionGift’s mission and expanding its impact across the eye banking community. Throughout his tenure, he brought clarity of purpose, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to honoring donors and serving patients in need of sight-restoring transplantation.

Under Chris’s guidance, VisionGift deepened partnerships throughout the United States and around the world, expanded its global reach, and continued to uphold the highest standards of stewardship, service, and clinical collaboration.

Chris has dedicated his life to honor donors by advancing sight for all humankind, with a commitment that everyone has a fundamental right to see.

Chris consistently led with integrity, transparency, and a forward-looking mindset. He strengthened VisionGift’s operational foundation, supported innovation across eye banking and transplantation, and helped ensure the organization is well positioned for long-term sustainability. Just as importantly, he fostered a culture grounded in honor and respect—for donor families, transplant recipients, clinical and research partners, and VisionGift’s dedicated staff.

As VisionGift prepares for this transition, the Board will begin a comprehensive process to identify the organization’s next CEO. Chris will remain actively engaged throughout the transition period to ensure continuity and support a seamless leadership handoff.

On behalf of the VisionGift Board of Directors, staff, partners, and donor families, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Chris for his enduring commitment to VisionGift’s mission and to the global eye banking community.

Please join us in thanking Chris for his extraordinary leadership and wishing him the very best as he approaches this important milestone.

With gratitude,

Matthew M. Fisher
Chair, Board of Directors
VisionGift

03/25/2026

Megan’s vision faded gradually at first, then in ways she could no longer ignore. Reading became harder. Driving at night no longer felt safe. One day, while standing in a parking lot with her children, they pointed excitedly to birds overhead. Megan looked up and saw only blank sky.

As a mother, those losses felt especially painful. She struggled to read bedtime stories to her daughter or following her son at football practice and found herself wondering how much more vision she might lose, and how quickly.

“It felt like a ticking clock,” Megan said. “I kept thinking, ‘Will I be able to see this next year?’”

Eventually, Megan was diagnosed with Fuchs’ dystrophy, a progressive disease affecting the cornea. By then, even everyday moments felt uncertain. But then came hope: surgery could restore her sight.

Nearly a year ago, Megan underwent two corneal transplants. Though she had never had surgery before and was understandably nervous, the outcome was life-changing. As her eyes healed, the world returned with a clarity she had not realized she had lost.

“The vibrancy of everything shocked me,” she said. “It felt like the contrast had been turned all the way up.”

What means the most to Megan is being able to clearly see her children again - their faces, their freckles, the small details that make them who they are.

“They gave me the gift of being able to see my kids grow up,” she said. “Not only did they give this to me, but they gifted it to my whole family.”

During recovery, Megan took up watercolor painting, and it became a quiet way to reflect on all she had regained. As colors grew richer and details sharper, she found herself more aware of the extraordinary gift she had received.

She carries deep gratitude for the surgeons and care teams who helped restore her sight, and for the two donors and their families whose generosity made it possible.

“It’s amazing that in such a painful moment, people can still think about others,” Megan said. “I feel so grateful.”

For Megan, eye donation is not abstract. It is personal. It lives in bedtime stories, football games, and the everyday moments she can now see again.

Above all, it is hope.

03/20/2026

Continuing the Eye Bank Association of America's theme of celebrating 'Everyday Heroes' - today we share Paul's story, in comic book form.

Amber describes her son Paul as a light in every room he entered. Born with cerebral palsy and other medical challenges, Paul faced more than his fair share of adversity, but he did so with a radiant smile and a playful sense of humor that charmed everyone he met.

“He never let anything hold him back,” Amber said. “Even when he wasn’t feeling well, he smiled. His eyes would light up.”

Whether it was joking with nurses, hooting and clapping at Montana’s Virginia City theater, or riding horses – his favorite- Paul embraced life with joy and courage. His bus drivers, teachers, and friends all remember how one glance at his smile could turn a tough day around.

When Paul passed away earlier this year, Amber honored his wish to be a donor. Though his medical condition limited traditional organ donation, Paul was able to donate his corneas for research – an act that may someday help restore sight to others. His contribution is already part of ongoing studies into gene therapy and corneal cell regeneration, work that could change the future of eye care for thousands.

“To me, he’s a hero,” Amber shared. “Why not give the gift of sight? It’s one of the most amazing gifts you can give.”

Amber continues to celebrate Paul’s legacy through handwritten letters, shared memories, and symbols that remind her he’s still near – like music that plays unexpectedly or white feathers that appear without explanation. Paul’s dog Kaia, who trained herself to calm him during seizures, is now by Amber’s side, offering quiet comfort.

At an upcoming celebration of life in Montana, which was Paul’s “happy place”, his family will gather to honor his memory, share stories, and reflect on his lasting impact.

“Paul taught me unconditional love,” Amber said. “And no obstacle is too great.

Donate Life Northwest Donate Life America

03/20/2026

03/18/2026

Register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at www.RegisterMe.org

03/17/2026

Our ongoing “5 Questions” video series is back! This time, VisionGift’s Chief Strategy Officer, Corrina Patzer, steps in front of the camera. Thanks for being such a great sport, Corrina! 😀

Our ongoing “5 Questions” video series is back! This time, VisionGift’s Chief Strategy Officer, Corrina Patzer, steps in front of the camera. Thanks for bein...

03/13/2026

Meet Joe: “It’s just unbelievable that someone decided they’d share their sight so that I’d get to see,” he says. “I can read, I can see colors… it’s just overwhelming. Sight-saving is life-saving.”

Joe’s vision had been deteriorating due to Fuchs Dystrophy, leaving him unable to see even the largest letters on an eye chart. The world blurred around him, and the loss was frightening.

Faced with the prospect of complete blindness, Joe underwent cornea surgery thanks to a selfless donor family. The results were life-changing.

03/10/2026

Fuchs’ Dystrophy occurs when the cells in the cornea’s inner layer gradually deteriorate without any apparent reason. As more endothelial cells are lost over the years, the endothelium becomes less efficient at pumping water out of the stroma (the middle layers of the cornea). This causes the cornea to swell and distort vision. Eventually, the epithelium also takes on water, resulting in pain and severe visual impairment. Epithelial swelling will also produce tiny blisters on the corneal surface. When these blisters burst, they are extremely painful. (re: )

03/06/2026

On The Day of the Dude, we’re reminded how much better life is when you can actually see that your rug really ties the room together.

: It doesn’t matter how old you are, what color your eyes are or how good your eyesight is. Don't rule yourself out!

OTD: March 6, 1998, The Big Lebowski was released

03/02/2026

A HUGE(!!) shoutout to VisionGift Board of Directors and staff who were hard at work last weekend for a full day retreat. Their efforts help us plan for a future with increased impact and. The team bonded around our mission - each sharing why they feel so strongly about honoring donors and their gifts of sight. Another shoutout goes to our facilitator (Anna Young) and to Kevin Tate of Kivo who generously hosted the meeting in Kivo's amazing space living wall and a rooftop deck.