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Our Heroes

Our Heroes symbolize the thread of generosity, altruism, and compassion that is common to all donors and their families, while celebrating the lives of recipients that have been forever transformed. It is truly a mosaic of those impacted by the compassionate act of eye, tissue, and organ donation. The stories below are a reflection of the selfless contributions donors made to help heal and save lives. We are forever grateful for their kindness and generosity.

It is our honor and privilege to share these photos and stories.

Share Your Story of Hope

The Story of Anne

Anne Ngo Moug, from Cameroon, Africa was losing vision quickly in one eye after giving birth to her baby girl. The idea of not being able to cook for her family or watch her children grow up was devastating to her and her husband, Robert. Anne was connected with Lions World Vision Institute to help restore her vision—her sight and hope, she says, have been restored for a lifetime. Our international team 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.

Following the surgery, Anne discovered she was pregnant with a new baby girl, and she was even more grateful to have received the gift of sight. 

“I would like everyone to know that life is a gift and the eyes are the light to the body, and it’s important to look for positivity in all things” says Anne. “Before the surgery I could barely see the letters on the page of a book, but after my surgery, I can see even the smallest letters now.”

“You know hope is a strong word that most people don’t really measure, and I experienced hope in your gift to me that my household will never forget. It is a privilege for me to transmit this hope to others.”

Making A Difference

Andrew

“Even if Andrew couldn’t live, he would want other people to,” Andrew’s mother said. “We can all do our part with good deeds and pay it forward to change lives.”

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Li Hua

“This experience has convinced me of the great love shown by those who donate organs of those they love who have passed away.”

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John Decaminada and family

John Decaminada

“He’s inspired me and my husband to think about taking better care of ourselves, and to leave a legacy to help others have a better life.”

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Tim Ledvina

“I knew that this is what Tim had wanted and had signed up for… I think it’s wonderful that [he] was able to help two people regain their sight.” – Jean Ledvina

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More Stories

The Story of Jeanine

The Story of Jane

The Story of Sean

The Story of Lynda

The Story of Bill

The Story of Jana

The Story of Honduras

The Story of Takeeya

The Story of Matthew

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John Decaminada and family The Story of John Decaminada 

In 2012, Dawn Decaminada was unexpectedly called to the hospital and notified that her father had suffered two brain aneurisms. She had never considered the type of conversations she would need to have when her tough police officer father’s medical outlook was not well. And she had no idea that one of her signatures that day could change the life of a stranger she had not met. But she came from a family that understood the value of organ donation — her mother had received two kidney transplants. 

When Dawn’s father’s aneurism burst, he died in her arms, which she somberly felt was an answer to her prayers as it was the way he would’ve wanted to go. His eyes and his skin were the only two things he was able donate due to the fact that he was a smoker for the majority of his life. Since learning about Lions World Vision Institute, Dawn’s become a strong supporter of LWVI’s mission.

When asked what she felt her father would want to share to those reading, Dawn says “I think that if my dad knew that he could change someone’s life the way that he did, he would probably want to take better care of himself. He had no idea he was leaving a legacy and changing a life. He’s inspired me and my husband to think about taking better care of ourselves, and to leave a legacy to help others have a better life.”

Andrew Dorsey

The Story of Andrew

Andrew Dorsey was an ambitious 27-year-old known for his kindness and compassion. He would go out of his way to help total strangers and did his best to make everyone feel like they belonged.

When Andrew passed away, his mother, Shebna, found comfort in knowing that Andrew’s generosity would live on through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The decision was easy for Shebna; she jokes that Andrew would have given someone his arm while he was still alive if he thought it would help.

Thanks to Andrew’s selfless gift of his corneas, we were able to give the gift of sight to two people living with blinding eye diseases.

A year after Andrew’s passing, Shebna continues to educate others about organ donation, dispelling common misperceptions and encouraging people to be “Dorsey Strong.” The generosity of people like Andrew is vital to our global mission to improve visual outcomes and quality of life for those who are blind or visually impaired.

Tim and Jean LedvinaTim Ledvina

When Tim and Jean Ledvina met, Jean had already been working as a physical education teacher. She inspired Tim to become an educator and he taught high school history for several years in Minnesota and Iowa.

Jean and her family were also avid golfers and they taught Tim to play. Jean would always beat him (except on those special occasions when she let him win!). Tim eventually became so good at golf that he became a PGA pro. He left the education field to pursue a career managing two golf courses in South Carolina.

Tim had been part of the Chamber of Commerce in Gainesville and was aware of the need for donation. After Jean’s father passed away and became a donor, Tim always kept that in mind. Tim became a donor on June 6, 2018.

“I knew that this is what Tim had wanted and had signed up for… I think it’s wonderful that [he] was able to help two people regain their sight.” – Jean Ledvina

Tim and Jean were married for 50 wonderful years. Together, they had three children, two grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

Li Hua

Li Hua was painfully sensitive to light which made everyday tasks difficult. This made her unable to independently take care of herself and care for her family members, which is something she immensely enjoyed.

She has regained her sight and is free from pain thanks to her corneal transplants and Lions World Vision Institute. Before the surgery, she could not see her own features, let alone the faces of those she loves and would have missed the beauty of her granddaughter on her wedding day.

Li Hua wrote an anonymous letter to her donor’s family.

“Thank you for the great love you showed me in donating the cornea of your loved one. Your gift has allowed me to regain sight, continue living life to the fullest and spend time with those I love. Thank you for your generosity. It has meant the world to me.”