Restoring sight across oceans: How the Lions World Vision Institute and Lufthansa Cargo deliver the gift of sight
Every day, somewhere in the world, someone opens their eyes to a new beginning—thanks to a gift they never expected to receive. Behind that moment of clarity is a global network of compassion, precision, and logistics. At the heart of this network is the Lions World Vision Institute (LWVI) and its Ocular Distribution Manager Lady Salinas.
This is the story of how corneal tissue travels across oceans and continents, how lives are transformed, and logistic teams around the world are all connected by a single, powerful mission – so the world can see.
A mission of sight
Lady Salinas and her team’s day often begins before sunrise. The inbox of the Ocular Distribution Manager is filled with updates from around the world – surgeons requesting tissue, donor families confirming consent, and logistics teams coordinating shipments. “Every shipment is a story,” Lady says. “A donor’s legacy, a recipient’s hope, and a team’s commitment to making it happen.”
Lady Salinas oversees the placement of corneal tissue in over 70 countries and 25 U.S. states. Her role is part logistics, part diplomacy, and all heart. “Every day presents a new opportunity to make a difference,” she says. “What fascinates me most is guiding our coordinators in quickly fulfilling the overwhelming demand for these special gifts and honoring the wishes of countless donors.”
The Lions World Vision Institute has a global network of eye banks, medical professionals, researchers, and community-based initiatives. It restores vision to more than 20,000 men, women, and children annually who suffer from corneal blindness or low vision. Their work spans continents, cultures, and time zones – but it all begins with a single, selfless act: donation.
From loss to legacy
One of the donors is Andrew Dorsey. Andrew was just 27 when he passed away. Known for his kindness and compassion, Andrew had a way of making everyone feel like they belonged. His mother, Shebna, found comfort in knowing that Andrew’s generosity would live on through organ, eye, and tissue donation.
“Andrew would have given someone his arm if he thought it would help,” she says with a bittersweet smile. His corneas were donated through LWVI, restoring sight to two individuals living with blinding eye diseases. Today, Shebna continues to advocate for donation, spreading Andrew’s legacy and encouraging others to be “Dorsey Strong.”
The donation process is a race against time: Once a donor passes, the process begins immediately. The Donor Services Department of LWVI is notified by the hospital. An ocular technician is dispatched to recover the corneal tissue, often within hours. Eye and tissue donation allows up to 24 hours, best within 12 hours of death and corneas must be transplanted within 14 days of recovery, and every hour counts.
From loss to legacy
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One of the donors is Andrew Dorsey. Andrew was just 27 when he passed away. Known for his kindness and compassion, Andrew had a way of making everyone feel like they belonged. His mother, Shebna, found comfort in knowing that Andrew’s generosity would live on through organ, eye, and tissue donation. “Andrew would have given someone his arm if he thought it would help,” she says with a bittersweet smile. His corneas were donated through LWVI, restoring sight to two individuals living with blinding eye diseases. |
Today, Shebna continues to advocate for donation, spreading Andrew’s legacy and encouraging others to be “Dorsey Strong.” The donation process is a race against time: Once a donor passes, the process begins immediately. The Donor Services Department of LWVI is notified by the hospital. An ocular technician is dispatched to recover the corneal tissue, often within hours. Eye and tissue donation allows up to 24 hours, best within 12 hours of death and corneas must be transplanted within 14 days of recovery, and every hour counts.
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The recovered tissue is brought to LWVI’s facility, where it undergoes a rigorous evaluation. Technicians assess the graft’s health, clarity, and suitability for transplant. Meanwhile, the Donor Eligibility Team gathers medical records, interviews family members, and completes risk assessments to ensure the tissue is safe for use. Though the timing can be difficult, many families find comfort in knowing their loved one’s legacy lives on through the healing power of donation. These donations can restore sight to up to two people and heal over 75 others through corneas, skin, bone, heart valves, and more.
Once cleared, the tissue is released for transplant. Now, the Distribution Team steps in to fulfill the request from a surgeon on behalf of their patient and coordinate with the technicians in the Ocular Processing Lab to prepare the cornea for specific surgical procedures. This is where Lady Salinas and her team shine – matching tissue with patients around the world, often in remote or underserved communities.
Precision logistics
When a recipient is identified and surgery is scheduled, the next challenge is getting the tissue there – fast, safely, and under strict conditions. The tissue is packed in a validated cooler with a 90-hour lifespan and has to be transported within the temperature range of 2-8C°. The cooler is delivered directly from Lions World Vision Institute, who is a known shipper, to Lufthansa Cargo’s facility.
Lufthansa Cargo’s role begins the moment a booking is made, and the carrier has become an indispensable partner for the Lions World Vision Institute. “Lufthansa Cargo is our number one courier,” Lady Salinas says. “Their dedication and reliable service make them stand out. They understand the sensitivity of our shipments and treat them with the utmost care.”
The Lufthansa Cargo team ensures:
• Priority handling: Human corneal tissue is booked as LHO (Living Human Organ) and classified as time-critical cargo flown with Lufthansa Cargos Speed td.Flash. Customers receive an immediate booking confirmation within the scope of our Capacity Guarantee enabling a guaranteed access to capacity on short notice. The shipment receives the highest priority and fastest handling times at every stage of the journey. In Frankfurt for example, our Valuables team send special handling colleagues directly to the aircraft to handle the transfers.
• Real-time tracking: The coordinators receive live updates on the shipment’s location and estimated arrival time, allowing the involved medical professionals to schedule surgeries with precision. The 24/7 td.Flash Tracking Support Service is there for questions on current shipments.
• Rapid rebooking: In the rare event of a delay, Lufthansa Cargo provides immediate notifications and prioritizes the rebooking of the shipment on the next available flight – often within hours.
Most shipments go out of Tampa, Florida, where the Lions World Vision Institute has its headquarters, and which is connected daily and directly to Lufthansa Cargo’s main hub in Frankfurt. But there are more options from Florida like Orlando to Munich, or Miami to Brussels. From there, the journey continues to one of 350 global stations like Narita, Riyadh or Yaounde before reaching its final destination, sometimes the smallest communities around the world.
Yaounde in Cameroon was also the destination of a special donation. It might sound very remote for some, but Lufthansa Cargo connects Yaounde Nsimalen Airport, as well as the Cameroon city Douala several times a week via Brussels Airlines with Brussel, one of their five hubs in Europe. And no matter the region, trained staff handle medical shipments with care and urgency. Whether it’s a rural clinic in Africa or a major hospital in Southeast Asia, Lufthansa Cargo ensures that the gift of sight arrives on time and intact.
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Lufthansa Cargo’s role begins the moment a booking is made, and the carrier has become an indispensable partner for the Lions World Vision Institute. “Lufthansa Cargo is our number one courier,” Lady Salinas says. “Their dedication and reliable service make them stand out. They understand the sensitivity of our shipments and treat them with the utmost care.” The Lufthansa Cargo team ensures:
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Most shipments go out of Tampa, Florida, where the Lions World Vision Institute has its headquarters, and which is connected daily and directly to Lufthansa Cargo’s main hub in Frankfurt. But there are more options from Florida like Orlando to Munich, or Miami to Brussels. From there, the journey continues to one of 350 global stations like Narita, Riyadh or Yaounde before reaching its final destination, sometimes the smallest communities around the world. Yaounde in Cameroon was also the destination of a special donation. It might sound very remote for some, but Lufthansa Cargo connects Yaounde Nsimalen Airport, as well as the Cameroon city Douala several times a week via Brussels Airlines with Brussel, one of their five hubs in Europe. And no matter the region, trained staff handle medical shipments with care and urgency. Whether it’s a rural clinic in Africa or a major hospital in Southeast Asia, Lufthansa Cargo ensures that the gift of sight arrives on time and intact.
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Vision restored
On the receiving end of the journey there are people like Anne Ngo Moug. The mother from Cameroon, began losing vision in one eye shortly after giving birth. The thought of not being able to watch her children grow up was devastating. Anne was connected with the Lions World Vision Institute to help restore her vision. The international team of LWVI worked tirelessly with ophthalmologists to find a surgeon connected with their network and together, the Lions World Vision Institute was able to donate a cornea free of charge to help the new mother see again.
Anne recounts that she couldn’t believe how fast the cornea was ready for transplant after Lions World Vision Institute connected her with the surgeon in Kenya. “I couldn’t believe how fast the cornea was ready,” Anne recalls. “Before the surgery, I could barely see the letters on a page. Now, I can read even the smallest print.” Shortly after her surgery, Anne discovered she was pregnant again. “Hope is a strong word,” she says. “I experienced hope in your gift to me that my household will never forget.”
The Lions World Vision Institute has helped more than 500,000 men, women and children around the world receiving the life-transformative gift of sight. During their long-lasting partnership Lufthansa Cargo has transported more than 10,000 for the Lions World Vision Institute and shipments can contain up to 20 different corneas. From pediatric patients in India to elderly farmers in Honduras, the impact is profound and far-reaching. Together Lions World Vision Institute and Lufthansa Cargo, are not just transporting corneas; they are delivering hope, and the chance to see a brighter future.
As Lady Salinas puts it, “It’s truly a privilege to be part of this mission. Together, we are transforming lives so the world can see.”
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The Lions World Vision Institute has helped more than 500,000 men, women and children around the world receiving the life-transformative gift of sight. During their long-lasting partnership Lufthansa Cargo has transported more than 10,000 for the Lions World Vision Institute and shipments can contain up to 20 different corneas. |
From pediatric patients in India to elderly farmers in Honduras, the impact is profound and far-reaching. Together Lions World Vision Institute and Lufthansa Cargo, are not just transporting corneas; they are delivering hope, and the chance to see a brighter future. As Lady Salinas puts it, “It’s truly a privilege to be part of this mission. Together, we are transforming lives so the world can see.”
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