Our First Ever Podcast

Our volunteers have asked and we have delivered. I sit down with co-founder Carina Trinh and Vice President Joe Wang to go through questions you have about our trip. 

1. Logistic Brochure - Have you gone through it? Carina go through the importance of doing your homework. 
2. What we wished we bought on our first trip
3. Hot Showers everyday? Now that's luxury  
4. How much Diamox should one take? 
5. Packing slim 
6. The weather - is October a good time to travel? 

Disclosure: The advice we provide is general information based on our experience. We encourage all current and future volunteers to do their own research. 

ABC Volunteer - Wendy Berlecky

Posted by Jenny Hsieh

Meet Wendy who loves the great outdoors and has a passion for voluntary work!

Graduating for UNSW in 1983, Wendy accepted a contract to establish the first full time Optometry practice on Norfolk Island. She returned to Sydney and began work with the Royal Blind Society, establishing the first mobile Low Vision Clinic in NSW. This involved a lot of country travel from the Victorian border to the Queensland border. Since then she has established and worked in four of her own private practices (only two at a time thankfully) before selling them all to spend more time with her family. She has been married for 33 years and has two adult children who are both studying at Uni.

Over the years Wendy has done a lot of voluntary work through the schools and through Scouts. She has gained her Outdoor Recreation qualifications and is a guide for bushwalking, canoeing, kayaking and sailing. These days Wendy does country locum work as well as organizing regular outdoor activities.

The opportunity to attend the mission to Annapurna seemed a perfect combination for her to combine her desire to help others and her love of the outdoors and hiking.

EBC Volunteer - Shane Weinberg

Posted by Jenny Hsieh

Meet Shane Weinberg! This year's Everest Base Camp volunteer!

Shane has always been passionate about health and wellbeing, graduating with a Bachelor and Masters of Chiropractic Science. During his studies, Shane worked as an Optical Dispenser for 6 years where he learnt and become passionate about vision care. This care extended into clinical practice as a Chiropractor where he specialised in postural therapy to treat the underlying cause of patient’s pain.

Shane grew up playing team sports and has always maintained an active healthy lifestyle in gym, marathon running, martial arts and bike riding. He enjoys being immersed in the outdoors, particularly snowboarding, hiking and scuba diving.  

Shane has a strong passion for healthcare and is dedicated to improving people’s quality of life. He looks forward to helping the Nepalese community in Everest.

We are so glad to have you as a valuable member of the EBC team! 

ABC Volunteer - Megan Zabell

Written by Jenny Hsieh

Meet Megan Zabell our first Annapurna Base Camp Volunteer! 

Megan is an optometrist based in Melbourne, Australia. While she enjoys her main job at a boutique independent practice, working with people who struggle to fit into the “one size fits all” approach taken by some of the retail chains, she does like to diversify her work by teaching the developing optometrists at her alma mater, University of Melbourne.

Outside of optometry Megan is keen about fitness, with a focus on Martial Arts. She has previously competed at the professional level for Muay Thai, both in Australia and overseas, and now focuses less on competing and more on training for fitness and judging/refereeing. She also enjoys all sorts of Latin dance, most recently performing Brazilian Samba in a dance showcase.

Megan has previously volunteered in the Melampfa Provence of Vanuatu travelling by yacht, and immensely enjoyed the experience of delivering health care to people who otherwise had very limited access. She was excited to join the Eyes4Everest team as it offers the chance to provide eye health to remote communities combined with a physical challenge.

She had also started fundraising for Eyes4Everest! The funds raised will go towards making primary eyecare more accessible for the locals in the Annapurna region and Sagarmatha National Park region. Visit her website and support Megan by clicking here

Big Names in 2018

Written by Shaun Chang

Wow!

I couldn't believe it. The Eyecare Director of Bailey Nelson had put her name down for Everest Base Camp 2018. 

Just weeks before, we were chatting over coffee at my local cafe. Robyn heard about our eye missions from two Bailey Nelson optometrists. She wanted to know more. 

Robyn had qualified as an optometrist in South Africa and practiced in independent optometry until immigrating to Australia in 1998. She joined Luxottica and during her career spanning 16 years, held various positions including Director of Eyecare and Community (Australia & NZ).  She also spent a Year at Westpac on an Executive Leadership Programme for women. 

Impressive I thought. It was clear that both of us were passionate about optometry. It was about customer experience, clinical care, social justice and equality. Quite simply, vision is a basic human right. 

"Good vision is a basic human right" 

 

I thought back to 2013 when senior Sherpa doctor Kamitemba informed me that children were having vision difficulties. I had no experience in volunteering or philanthropy but I was possessed to do it. For that reason, Eyes4Everest is different to a lot of charities out there. For one, our glasses are made to prescription and recordings are done through the E4E App.  What does that mean? No wastage and quick turnaround time.

I am pretty proud of that but Eyes4Everest can be better. Robyn and I have a common goal, which is to provide an example of vision care to those who are disadvantaged by social status or geographic location. She has been involved in charitable clinics in Australia, New Zealand and globally as well as spending years establishing sustainable vision centers throughout Africa. We can definitely benefit from her knowledge and experience. 

I look forward to working with her.

P.S. I love startups and Bailey Nelson is a Sydney startup. Their story began in 2012 at the Bondi markets. I love the quality and style of their frames and recommend you check them out!  I don't get any kickback for saying that. It is my opinion as a fiercely independent optometrist.