EBAA Veterans 2021
EBAA is fortunate to have many Veterans working throughout our member eye banks, whose military experience benefits them as eye bankers, and contributes to our mission to #RestoreSight worldwide.
EBAA Veterans 2021: Lori Pederson
When Lori first started at the eye bank, she said her boss could tell from her work ethic that she had been in in the military. She recommends military service “with no hesitation.” She says it helped her “establish boundaries, create a foundation of respect and honor – which is a good core to have. You can apply it to your life wherever you go. It’s an amazing experience.”
EBAA Veterans 2021: Dr. Bob Phillips
Dr. Phillips credits the military with making him a better educated, disciplined, and organized physician. They taught him how to work with people of diverse backgrounds and improved his communication skills. He also liked that he was doing something to help his country. He recommends service to those looking to get into medicine saying, “Two years is not much to give your country. Only 1% of the population has ever worn the military uniform.”
EBAA Veterans 2021: Jim Quirk
Jim was hired full time at the Medical Eye Bank of Delaware, which later merged and became Lions Eye Bank of Delaware Valley. He says, “The military teaches you responsibility, and I had tremendous responsibility as an eye banker. During a recovery, everything is on the eye tech. It takes a certain person with a certain attention and dedication to do it and do it well. A lot of accountability and responsibility is involved.”
EBAA Veterans 2021: Jessica Bramow
Two years ago, she moved to the Iowa Lions Eye Bank analyzing data for the eye bank. Although Jessica had been surrounded by Ophthalmology for decades, she was “floored” to learn the full impact of the eye bank and how many people they help. She says, “Seeing all the people the eye bank actually helps is mind-blowing. It makes me really happy knowing how much we help people. They’re amazing people to work with.”
EBAA Veterans 2021: Sergio Romero
Seergio says that his military training better prepared him for eye banking than most. His background in autopsies gives him a greater comfort level in a morgue or hospital than someone without those experiences, and notes that, “recovery tech is not a job for everyone.” He adds that the fellow staff at SAEB make eye banking “one of the most fun jobs I’ve ever had.”
