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Eye banking began in Oregon in 1959 with the formation of the Good Samaritan Hospital Eye Bank, which operated internally at the hospital. In 1972, eye banking in Oregon took another step forward with the formation of the Oregon Cryopreservation Eye Bank at the University of Oregon Medical School, a project supported in concept by the Oregon Lions Sight Foundation and the Department of Ophthalmology at Good Samaritan Hospital. 1974 The demand had increased for corneas and ophthalmologists were moving away from the use of frozen corneal tissue. Lions and physicians began discussing an eye bank as a statewide project. Funding was secured through a pledge from the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation in August 1974 for $25,000 a year for three years to start the Oregon Lions Eye Bank. 1975 The Oregon Lions Eye Bank board was formed in September with Lion Norm Ross as Chairman, and by October, the fledgling group had received the unanimous approval of the Eye Bank Association of America to serve as the regional eye bank for Oregon. The official start date was January 1, 1975. Ophthalmologists and corneal surgeons Milton Singer, M.D., and Emanuel Tanne, M.D., were appointed Medical Director and Surgical Director, respectively. Richard G. Chenoweth, M.D., Chief of Ophthalmology at Good Samaritan, was instrumental in founding the Eye Bank. Kristi Voth served as Executive Secretary during the creation of the Lions Eye Bank until she was chosen as Executive Director in March 1975. Kristi Voth, who was secretary to Dr. Chenoweth, split her time between the Lions Sight Foundation, the Eye Bank and Dr. Chenoweth's office. Lion Tony Meeker, Amity Lions Club, sponsored Senate Bill 775, which allowed the Lions Eye Bank to train and certify Licensed Embalmers to serve as volunteer enucleators for the Eye Bank. Governor Robert Straub signed the bill into law on May 29, 1975. Stan Morris, then a funeral director at Bateman's Funeral Chapel in Gresham, helped introduce the Eye Bank as a volunteer project among the funeral directors of Oregon. A few months later, in July 1975, the first enucleator training was held at Mt. Hood Community College, thanks to generous cooperation of Wally Thorsell, Funeral Science Instructor. These training sessions continued monthly until May 1976. The first eyes handled by an embalmer were received in October 1975. During 1975, the Oregon Lions Eye Bank received 62 donated eyes. A total of 50 embalmers were certified in that first year. 1976 In January 1976, the Lions Eye Bank began supplying sclera to the University of Oregon Dental School. The Lions Eye Bank's second Chairman, Lion John Anderson, took office in 1976. He served in that capacity for eight years and also served on the Board of Directors of the Eye Bank Association of America. In 1976 the Eye Bank received 202 donated eyes and made possible 112 transplants. 1979 A new use for eye tissue was realized in 1979 when Michael Kaplan, Ph.D., began using Lions Eye Bank tissue in his research on the functions of the retina. 1982 In 1982, Mike Marquette, a licensed embalmer, became a technician for the Lions Eye Bank. In 1984, the mantle of leadership passed to Lion Ralph Jackson, who served as Chairman until 1986. During the early 1980s the Lions Eye Bank, as well as the whole Ophthalmology Department, outgrew its quarters. Plans were laid for a new facility, and the Lions, under the leadership of Norm Ross, went to work to raise funds for the new structure. By 1985 the goal of $1.5 million in donations and pledges was met. It significantly helped in the construction of the $26 million Neurological Sciences Center. When the building was opened in September 1985, it provided new quarters for the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation, the Lions Eye Bank and the Department of Ophthalmology. 1985 Another milestone occurred in 1985: the passage of the Routine Inquiry legislation by the Oregon Legislature that requires hospitals to ask, when a death occurs, if the family would consider organ and tissue donations. Oregon, which was the first state in the nation to pass this law, saw its volume of eye donation more than double. Also during 1985, the Lions Eye Bank hired Max Mehlhaff as its second Executive Director, a shared position with the Lions Foundation. 1986 Lion Dennis Tichenor, PDG, became Chairman of the Lions Eye Bank Board in 1986, serving in that capacity for two years. Corneal specialist Terry E. Burris, M.D., joined the Department of Ophthalmology in mid-1986 and was appointed Medical/Surgical Director of the Lions Eye Bank. In December 1986, the Lions Eye Bank, with financial support from the Lions Foundation, opened a Quality Assurance and Research Laboratory in what had been a storage room next to the Eye Tissue Processing Laboratory. In 1987, that facility received a $50,000 grant from the Lions Club International Foundation which was used to purchase a research grade fluorescene microscope and other equipment. 1987 In March 1987, the Lions Eye Bank officially opened its second Eye Tissue Processing Laboratory adjacent to the Southern Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Center in Medford. Called the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon Southern Region Laboratory, the laboratory was designed to serve southwestern Oregon, reducing transportation problems by allowing tissue to be placed in storage media before sending it to Portland for evaluation. In April 1987, the Lions Eye Bank hired its third Executive Director, Lion Paul J. Vogt. Again the position allowed for sharing the executive director 50-50 with the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation. During 1987, Lion Michael Blackmarr, a funeral director, volunteer enucleator and Board Member for the Oregon Lions Eye Bank, was honored by the Eye Bank Association of America with the "Gift of Sight" Award which annually honors an outstanding professional who is active in eye banking. 1987 was also a record-setting year for transplants with 543 corneas placed. 1988 In April 1988, the Lions Foundation and Good Samaritan Hospital signed a new agreement modifying the structure of the Eye Bank and officially changing its name to the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. Also in 1988, Michael Blackmarr was named Chairman. In summer of 1988, the Lions Eye Bank switched from part-time, on-call technicians to full-time, around-the-clock coverage in the Portland laboratory. Mike Marquette was named Supervisor of Technicians. 1988 was the all-time highest year for total eye donors, with 1,223 donations occurring. Also in 1988, Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford became the first hospital to refer 100 donors to the Lions Eye Bank in a year. 1989 On January 1, 1989, the Lions Eye Bank selected its Public Relations Coordinator, Scott Maguire, to become its fourth Executive Director, the first one to take the job on a full-time basis. Scott devoted full time to the Eye Bank until Dec. 1, 1990, when he accepted a request by the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation to again split the Executive Director role between the two groups. 1990 A new Medical/Surgical Director, Mark A. Terry, M.D., was appointed in 1990 when Dr. Burris moved his practice outside of Good Samaritan. Dr. Burris remained on the Eye Bank Advisory Committee and was named as a Co-Medical Director with Dr. Tanne. Dr. Terry, who did his corneal fellowship at the Dean E. McGee Eye Institute in Oklahoma City, OK, also serves as the Chief of Corneal External Diseases for the Devers Eye Institute. 1991 A 10-year veteran volunteer of the Lions Eye Bank, U.L. "Sue" Lindstrom died in 1991. Lioness Sue served as the courier coordinator for the Portland area from 1981 to 1991. Most of that time she was restricted in activity by her health, so the Eye Bank courier calling became her window on the world and kept her vital. Sue's life, from 7-19-20 to 4-12-91, was filled with service to others. 1992 After several years of work, the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation was granted a patent in 1992 on an eye pedestal invented by Dr. Tanne, Dr. Burris, Rod Iwata, Mike Marquette and Mike Gordon, and all members of the Eye Bank Staff. The device was invented prior to 1988, when the Lions Foundation operated the Eye Bank; therefore the patent became the property of the Foundation. A long process of looking for a manufacturer began upon issuance of the patent. Founder, long-time chairman, and patron supporter of the Lions Eye Bank, John H. Anderson, Sr., died in 1992. John is mentioned above as chairman, but he also served many terms as a member of the Eye Bank Association of America Board of Directors. He was actively involved in Lions Eye Bank activities up to the time of his death. John's life, which spanned 76 years, began on 7-3-16 and ended suddenly on 7-15-92. John died on his farm in the Longview area. 1994 At the national meeting the Eye Bank Association of America honored Mike Marquette for outstanding contributions in the field of eye banking. He was one of three active eye bankers recognized in the first year of the 'Visionaries in Action" award. 1995 The Lions Eye Bank celebrated its 20th anniversary with a commemorative pin, a special presentation during the Mid-Year Conference in Pendleton and a 20th Anniversary Party in June at the Metro Washington Park Zoo. During the zoo event, many of the top 20 volunteer enucleators were presented with special plaques honoring their service. Several hospitals were present to receive plaques honoring them for being the top 20 to refer donors to the Eye Bank. Those who were not present were given their awards in local ceremonies in their home communities. Upon its 20th anniversary, the Lions Eye Bank has received eye donations from 13,279 people and placed 5,560 corneas for transplant. During July of 1995, the Oregon Legislature again aided organ and tissue donation by passing amendments to allow the Drivers License to serve as a donor card. The amendments also provided a general improvement to the legislation and slightly strengthened the ability of medical examiners to authorize donation. 1997 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the “Final Rule” aimed at the prevention of transmission of infectious diseases through corneal transplantation. The FDA also introduced “Current Good Tissue Practices”, which, when final will govern all aspects of donor procurement and processing of tissue. 1998 The eye banking services provided by the Oregon Eye Bank at Oregon Heath Sciences University were consolidated under the operations of the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. OHSU maintained an affiliation with the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. Certified Eye Bank Technician (CEBT) and longtime Oregon Eye Bank Executive Director, Barbara Crow, assumed the duties of the Executive Director for the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. That same year Barbara was elected chairman-elect of the Eye Bank Association of America’s Board of Directors. Barbara’s term as chair will begin in the year 2000. In August of 1998, Health and Human Services’ Health Care Financing Administration established the “Conditions of Participation” (COP) rule in an effort to promote organ and tissue donation. The rule required every Medicare-supported hospital in the country, that is, every hospital except the federal Veterans Administration hospitals, to report all deaths to the procurement agencies in their area. The rule also required hospitals to have a formal contract for donor procurement and education with the organ, eye and tissue banks in their service area. The Eye Bank acquired contracts for donor services with all hospitals in Oregon and SW Washington. The COP rule significantly increased the referral calls made to the Eye Bank and by December of that same year, the Eye Bank staff nearly doubled to manage the volume of referral calls and donations. After seventeen years of dedicated service to the technical and daily operations of the Eye Bank, Mike Marquette retired. 2000 Coming from the Lions Eye Bank in Dallas, TX, Chris Stoeger, CEBT, CTBS, assumed the duties of technical director. In August we underwent our first inspection by the FDA. 2001 The events of September 11, 2001, served as a “wake-up” call for our nation’s eye banks, including the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. Since America’s eye banks rely on a global network of services, the provision of corneas for transplant came to a standstill across the US. Other transplant organizations were similarly impacted. Providing skin for 9/11 burn victims in New York required heroic efforts by tissue bank staff who drove thousands of miles to deliver their precious cargo. As EBAA Chairman, LEBO executive director, Barbara Crow, directed eye banks to develop and implement emergency preparedness measures to ensure the continuity of eye tissue for transplant. By the end of this year, the Eye Bank provided 879 corneas for transplant, the highest number ever, and provided over 2000 eyes for vital research and surgical training. 2002 On July 27, 2002, Lion Jim Maguire died. Jim had been the Eye Bank chairman from 1999 – 2000, and was a longtime advocate of eye donation. Jim was instrumental in securing the Eye Bank Board’s endorsement for funds for the continuation of the provision of eye tissue used for research purposes. 2003 On Christmas Day, Lion Bev Thoman died. Bev had been the longest serving Lion on the Eye Bank Board of Directors, having served from 1993 to 2003. An ardent and vocal supporter of the Eye Bank, Bev was chairman of the Board of Directors from 1996–1997. In her honor, the Eye Bank established the “Bev Thoman Award”. The Eye Bank’s highest honor, it will be awarded annually to an individual who has gone the extra mile in promoting eye donation and the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. At the Annual Meeting of the EBAA in June, Chris Stoeger was elected as President of the Western Region of Eye Banks and will serve a 2 year term on the EBAA Board of Directors. LEBO is the only Eye Bank with 2 staff members serving on the EBAA Board at the same time (Barbara is Immediate Past Chairman of the EBAA Board). In July LEBO joined VisionShare, a consortium of EBAA-accredited eye banks whose goal is a cooperative distribution system for both corneal tissue and tissue for research. By the end of this year, the Eye Bank reached its 25,000th donor milestone. In August the Eye Bank underwent its 2nd unannounced inspection by the FDA. No problems were sited. 2004 The Eye Bank awarded an honorary “Bev Thoman Award” to Lion Bob Thoman, Bev’s husband. Bob was grateful to become the first recipient of this award. With increasing federal oversight and impending rules to comply with “Current Good Tissue Practices” (CGTP), the Eye Bank undertook efforts to maintain a readiness for inspection. In August the Eye Bank’s laboratories in Portland and Medford were inspected by the Eye Bank Association of America and the Food and Drug Administration. This marked the first ever inspection of LEBO’s Medford facility by any agency. The Eye Bank achieved a perfect score from both agencies. At the EBAA Fall Educational Conference in New Orleans, LEBO executive director, Barbara Crow, was chosen to receive the EBAA’s highest honor, the Heise Award, for 2005. The award will be presented at the EBAA Annual Meeting in June of 2005, in San Diego, California. 2005 This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon and the 100th Anniversary of the first successful cornea transplant. The year will be marked with celebrations at each of the 4 Lions District Conventions, the Multiple District 36 Convention and a celebratory gala event at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club on July 30th. The gala event will be co-sponsored by the Devers Eye Institute and the Casey Eye Institute and will honor past and present medical directors of the combined Eye Bank as well as Lions, volunteers and funeral directors who were instrumental in the Eye Bank’s history. Lion Norm Ross was chosen to receive the “Bev Thoman Award”. The award was presented at a special ceremony at Progress Downs Golf Club. The EBAA’s Leonard Heise Award was presented to Executive Director Barbara Crow at the EBAA meeting in San Diego on June 16, 2005. Attending the presentation ceremony was Eye Bank Chairmen, past and present, Lion Vince Bishop, Lion George DeHart and Lion Gary Hottel, as well as Eye Bank Medical Directors, Dr. Mark Terry, Mr. Terry Burris and Dr. John Wilkins. August 25th was the target date to bring the eye bank into compliance with the FDA rule entitled “Good Manufacturing Practices”. Instrumental in applying the new regulations to eye bank practices was Ben Jenkins, Quality Assurance Director and Chris Stoeger, Director of Operations. 2006 Lion Dennis Tichenor was chosen to receive the “Bev Thoman Award”. Due to Dennis’ busy schedule in this year of LCI activities, the award will be presented in 2007. The Medical Advisory Committee was expanded to include community ophthalmologists. Added to the MAC were Dr. Rick Fraunfelder representing OHSU and Dr. Peter Marsh representing Keizer Hospitals. The MAC meets bi-annually to review eye bank policies and procedures and discuss pertinent topics. The “Bev Thoman Award” was presented to Lion Dennis Tichenor at the Saturday luncheon at the Multiple District Convention. 2007 Dr. Richard Chenoweth was chosen to receive the “Bev Thoman Award” for 2007. The award will be presented to Dr. Chenoweth during the luncheon at the Multiple District Convention in Ashland, Oregon in 2008. MAJOR NEWS: After 3 years of looking, the Eye Bank Board approved the purchase of a building to house the operations of the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon. The purchase was presented to and approved by the Trustees of the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation. The building, located at 2201 SE 11th Avenue, Portland 97214, was purchased in June at a cost of $1.75 million. A $1.5 million loan was secured from National Mortgage at a rate of 6%. Over the past 5 years, the LEBO Board has set aside (designated) all excess revenue from the Eye Bank’s cornea processing fees for a “Building Fund”. Approval was gained for such action from our auditor, Bruce Thompson (Kern & Thompson). This fund will be used to finance the remainder of the purchase price for the building and to do the build-out. OLSHF Chairman, Bill Nourse, appointed Steve Thompson (DeBenedetto & Thompson) as architect. Mr. Thompson engaged Bob Becker (Robert Becker Designs) as interior designer. The team of Thompson, Becker, B. Crow (Eye Bank ED) and C. Stoeger (Eye Bank D.O.) became intimately involved with the build-out project. In April during National Donor Awareness Month, Donate Life Northwest (DLNW) launched the online Donor Designation Registry as a companion to the donor designation program in place through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Funding for the Registry was secured from LEBO, CTS and PNTB. The Registry was to be hosted by Inetz, a California company, and managed by DLNW. Along with PNTB and CTS, the Eye Bank went before the Legislature in Salem to request adoption of a revision to the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. The revision was supported by the National Commission for Uniform State Laws (NCUSL) and was before the legislatures of all 50 states. The revision incorporated language to allow for donor designation through the online registry and allowed for immunity for the donor agencies that pursued “first person consent”. The Legislature passed the law allowing Oregon to join the ranks of those states who adopted the revised UAGA. By action of it Board of Directors, the Eye Bank began accepting the “D” code and donor designation as an individual’s absolute intent to donate. 2008 Board Officers Carol Tate, Richard Smith and Gary Tate, along with executive director Barbara Crow, attended the inaugural EBAA/SightLife Leadership Conference in Kona, Hawaii in January. The meeting offered an opportunity for LEBO Officers to interact with other EBAA eye bank board officers, cornea surgeons and eye bank directors. At their meeting on March 7, 2008, the Trustees approved the formation of Lions Eye Bank of Oregon sub-corporation. Nikki Hatton, attorney with Schwabe, Williamson and Wyatt, was directed to file the Articles of Incorporation with the state of Oregon for the new entity. Assisted by Ms. Hatton, an ad hoc committee began the task of preparing suitable Bylaws. At the MD-36 Convention in Ashland, Chairman Carol Tate presented Dr. Richard Chenoweth with the 2007 Bev Thoman Award. Chairman Carol then surprised Barbara Crow by presenting her with the 2008 Bev Thoman Award. On July 1, 2008, Richard Smith accepted the gavel of leadership as Chairman of the Eye Bank, beginning his 2 year term. Gary Tate was elected Vice Chairman. On July 31, 2008, the Eye Bank moved into the first floor of the new building at 2201 SE 11th Avenue in Portland. While the building was not completely finished, the city of Portland allowed a permit of occupancy for the first floor while the 2nd floor was still in construction. Completion of the 2nd floor was accomplished by September 1, 2008. During this time the Foundation undertook remodeling of the space at the Good Samaritan Medical Office Building that was vacated by the Eye Bank. On September 1, the Foundation moved into its new quarters. At calendar year-end, the Eye Bank noted a record year: 1,426 corneas were placed for transplant, putting LEBO in the top 10 eye banks in the nation with regard to number of transplants for the first time in its history. 2009 The Board of Trustees voted to transfer title of the new building from OLSHF to LEBO at the Trustees Meeting in Pendleton, OR, on May 14, 2009. The LEBO Executive Committee agreed to a $250,000 contribution to the OLSHF for the 2009-2010 calendar year, pending LEBO Board approval. Donate Life NW reported that the Oregon Donor Registry now has over 2 million individuals who have registered their intention to become donors. On April 1, 2009, the financial/cash split of the OLSHF and the LEBO was accomplished. While much work still needs to be completed, the two organizations began operating from their own banking accounts. |
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History |
Staff |
Media Stories |
Our Valued Couriers |
Our Research Lab
| Our
2010 Annual Report | Our Board | |
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For a PDF Printable Copy of this Heritage document, click here |
2201 SE 11th Avenue |
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For current website click here > http://eyebank.orlions.org/ |
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Eye Bank of Oregon