One of the early programs that inspired the establishment of our humanitarian organization took place in Tesapaco, Mexico, in 1972. From Santa Barbara, a group of surgeons alongside Dr. Brown boarded small planes to embark on a journey to restore sight across Mexico. After five hours of flying, the group landed in Navajoa, Mexico, to treat patients at a local hospital. Upon landing, the doctors treated numerous patients, and continued to do so through the next morning.
After a couple days of seeing patients in Navajoa, the team boarded another plane to travel an additional 75 miles to their final destination: Tesapaco. Here, they were greeted by hundreds of indvidiuals waiting patiently for treatment. As eyecare had been inaccessible to many of these people living in rural Mexico, some had traveled as long as 3 days to make it to the clinic. While working diligently to see as many patients as possible, the doctors participating in the clinic performed cataract surgeries and eye exams, treated patients with pterygium, and fitted patients with glasses.
The men, women, and children attending the Tesapaco clinic were finally able to get the eyecare they needed through the efforts of Dr. Brown and his fellow humanitarian medical professionals. Through programs like these, SEE International’s mission was born, and our organization has remained committed to this mission by striving to expand our global impact and decrease the number of those suffering from preventable blindness. Now, in 2020, SEE has joined arms with hundreds of like-minded humanitarian doctors that have dedicated their lives to providing visual aid where it’s needed. It’s been 48 years since Dr Brown’s participation in the 1972 Tesapaco program, and SEE is proud to have continuously upheld the same values and efforts throughout the many years of our existence.
Learn about another decade of work:
