Student Vision Canada

Donations to the McGill University Health Centre can come in many forms. Lately, a new initiative developed by two intrepid McGill students in collaboration with the MUHC Foundation is making an important contribution to ophthalmology research at the MUHC.

Patrick Logan and Shawn Maloney are both pursuing doctorates at McGill University and are both actively involved in researching visual ailments at McGill’s Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory. While working with the MUHC’s ophthalmologist in chief, Dr. Miguel Burnier, Shawn and Patrick saw a need for funding that could support research and help ease the financial burdens of students. And so, Student Vision Canada was born.

Under the direction of Dr. Burnier, the Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory has moved to the forefront of research into diseases of the eye. Its researchers have published hundreds of papers in peer-reviewed medical journals, and have made discoveries that have led to the development of new or improved treatments for patients suffering from a variety of serious visual impairments

In order to give other students the chance to benefit from exposure to an internationally recognized ophthalmology laboratory, Logan and Maloney created Student Vision Canada to fund three complementary initiatives, the first of which is an annual undergraduate scholarship competition for a summer session at Dr. Burnier’s lab. Five students will be selected per year based on the merit of their project proposals, which will be judged by a panel of experts from the National Institute of Health, Harvard University, and McGill University.

Graduate students working at the Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory will also receive support through Student Vision’s “Adopt-A-Project” program, which looks to provide the lab with critical equipment and supplies for their research projects. Student Vision Canada also plans to help continue a student exchange program with Harvard University, which will ensure that students remain current in this rapidly evolving area.

By providing undergraduate students with summer research scholarships, funding specific projects, and allowing graduate students to experience collaborative research, Student Vision Canada hopes to broaden the horizons of vision research at the MUHC. For more on the project, visit their official website. Making a donation to Student Vision Canada is easy, simply go to our Give Now page, click on General Donations, and select “Student Vision Canada” from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the screen. Every dollar donated helps fund the future of vision research at the MUHC.