For his humanitarian efforts around the globe Michael Feilmeier, M.D., an ophthalmologist and medical director of the Global Blindness Prevention Division at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, was named a 2015 Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World recipient in the category of humanitarian and voluntary leadership.
Dr. Feilmeier was first introduced to humanitarian health care as a medical student. The most pivotal moment for him was a month-long trip to the Himalayas where he witnessed surgeons successfully delivering world-class eye care to hundreds of patients in the most rural environments at a cost of $20 and a procedure time of five minutes per patient. He called it his lightning strike moment in life.
"This is the moment I knew I’d be spending my life giving the gift of sight back to as many patients as time and resources would allow," Dr. Feilmeier said of the experience.
During the following year, Dr. Feilmeier traveled throughout Nepal, India, Ghana and the Dominican Republic teaching fellow ophthalmologists better surgical techniques and performing hundreds of sight-restoring surgeries.
Dr. Feilmeier is currently a private practice cornea surgeon at Midwest Eye Care, but volunteers his time serving as the medical director of the Global Blindness Prevention Division, which he founded in 2011 at the UNMC Truhlsen Eye Institute.
Under his guidance, the division has provided eye care services and sight-restoring surgeries to patients living in Nepal, Ethiopia, Peru, Ghana, Somalia, Kenya and Haiti, as well as to Native Americans living in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
To date, Dr. Feilmeier and his team have performed more than 1,700 sight-restoring surgeries, facilitated the screenings of more than 10,000 patients for eye care and raised more than $500,000 in donated cash, equipment and consumables.
Dr. Feilmeier, who conducted outreaches in Haiti and Nepal in 2015, notes that his greatest accomplishment is not the ability to restore sight, but the ability to inspire and engage young professionals in the work he feels so passionate about.
"This award is a great honor," Dr. Feilmeier said. "It truly is in recognition of the collective efforts of the people at UNMC, the Truhlsen Eye Institute, and all of those who have come together to make our work and the miraculous outcomes possible. I am forever grateful to those who support our work and believe in our passion."
JCI TOYP
Junior Chamber International honors 10 outstanding young people under the age of 40 each year. These individuals exemplify the spirit of the JCI mission and provide extraordinary service to their communities. Whether through service, innovation, determination or revolutionary thinking, these young active citizens create positive impact on a local and global level. These 10 exceptional individuals will be honored at the 2015 JCI Awards Ceremony on Nov. 7 at the 2015 JCI World Congress in Kanazawa, Japan.
About JCI: JCI is a worldwide membership-based nonprofit organization of young active citizens ages 18 to 40 who are dedicated to creating positive change in their communities. Through projects in more than 5,000 communities across nearly 120 countries, members seek targeted solutions to local problems creating a global impact. Visit www.jci.cc to learn more.
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