The Canadian Ophthalmological Society Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a sustained impact, nationally and internationally, on the growth of the profession and who have maintained the highest standard of patient care in their practice. In 2020, the recipient of the award was Dr. Simon Holland, and the 2021 award was presented to Dr. Brian Leonard.
Orbis Canada Volunteer Faculty Members Win Lifetime Achievement Awards
In June, two of Orbis Canada’s most dedicated Volunteer Faculty were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Canadian Ophthalmological Society.
Dr. Simon Holland (back left), Dr. Brian Leonard (second from left) and Dr. Garth Taylor (third from left) aboard the DC-10 Orbis Flying Eye Hospital in China
Dr. Simon Holland, who is the Chair of Orbis Canada, has been part of more than 100 programs aboard the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital during his 35 years as a staff member and volunteer with the organization. He is a specialist in cornea refractive and anterior segment surgery at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where he is a clinical professor.
Slideshow above: Dr. Holland is honoured with the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Ophthalmological Society on Thursday, May 24.
Dr. Holland was able to receive his 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in front of his peers at this year’s virtual ceremony after last year’s Canadian Ophthalmological Society Annual Meeting and Exhibition was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about Dr. Holland’s incredible work with Orbis
As the first-ever Medical Director of the Flying Eye Hospital and a long-time Volunteer Faculty member, Dr. Holland has mentored, trained and inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of eye health professionals around the world.
The 2021 winner of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society Lifetime Achievement Award is Dr. Brian Leonard.
Dr. Leonard is the longest-serving Orbis Volunteer Faculty member, having spent more than 40 years working to improve global eye health. He has participated in more than 70 international programs with Orbis and is a member of the Board of Directors for Orbis International, as well as a member of the Orbis Telemedicine Advisory Council and the founding chair of the Orbis Medical Advisory Committee.
Slideshow below: Dr. Leonard is honoured with the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Ophthalmological Society on Thursday, May 24.
Dr. Leonard is a vitreoretinal specialist at the University of Ottawa Eye Institute in Ottawa and a professor of ophthalmology in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Ottawa.
Read more about Dr. Leonard’s Passion for Orbis
A frequent flier on the Flying Eye Hospital, Dr. Brian Leonard is one of Orbis's longest-serving volunteer doctors. For Dr. Leonard, creating sustainability in the countries where he volunteers is critical. He wants the eye care professionals he trains to use these new tools and techniques to improve care long after Orbis has left the region.
Orbis Canada’s CEO, Lisa McKeen, attended the ceremony virtually and was thrilled to see two of Orbis’s most respected volunteers honoured this way. “Canadian eye health professionals have made an extraordinary impact on the work of Orbis around the world. Both Dr. Holland and Dr. Leonard have gone above and beyond to do everything they can to support global eye health and save sight worldwide—all while maintaining their own busy practices and education work in Canada. We are incredibly lucky to have them as part of our team and we want to congratulate them both for this wonderful honour,” she says.
Please join us in thanking Dr. Holland and Dr. Leonard for being true heroes of Orbis in every sense of the word. Their tireless commitment and selfless dedication to teaching, training, and empowering eye health professionals all around the world is nothing short of inspirational. Congratulations on your well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Awards, and thank you for all you do!
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Make a donation to honour the commitment of Dr. Holland, Dr. Leonard, and all of our other wonderful Canadian Volunteer Faculty from across Canada.
