Volunteering Service and Supplies
E. Laird Mortimer III (KStJ), U.S. Hospitaller, the Duchess of Gloucester, and Mr. Rod Bull, CEO of the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.
Blinding eye disease is ten times more likely to occur in Palestine than in developed societies, yet up to 80% is preventable. If not prevented and treated, long-term effects of blindness are both humanitarian and economic. The work of the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital is dedicated to providing high-quality ophthalmic care to thousands of the neediest people in the Holy Land, without regard to race, gender, creed or ability to pay. Our doors are open to all!
The Hospital is the region’s major provider of eye care, with a staff of 200, serving East Jerusalem and towns and villages in rural areas of the West Bank and Gaza. In addition to mobile outreach facilities there is also a Hospital in Hebron and satellite clinics in Gaza and Anabta. A total of 94,426 patients were treated in 2008, and 3,275 major operations were performed. We maintain an active rotation of doctors and interns with the world renowned Hadassah Hospital, and our relations with Israeli authorities are strong, warm, active and productive.
As Hospitaller for the Priory in the U.S. of the Order of St. John, I am responsible for encouraging Priory support for the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Hospital, located in East Jerusalem. Listed below are several ways you can support the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital. I encourage your inquiries, questions and suggestions. Please contact our Executive Director, Ruth Ann Skaff, at (202) 510-9691 or raskaff@saintjohn.org to support any of these objectives.
Recruiting Doctors to Serve in Jerusalem
This is a “networking” process. We encourage you to send us names of potential candidates or medical schools that may fit our needs. We are actively seeking ophthalmic surgeons who have finished their “Post Fellowship” training and are now fully licensed to perform eye surgery to serve a six-month or one-year rotation at the Hospital. Recently retired doctors, who make great contributions to the clinics and staff training, are very welcome. All must submit a CV, which is evaluated and sent to the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital for a final decision.
Over 50 such doctors have done rotations at the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital over the past decades and all agree that work with the Hospital provided them a career-building opportunity for much more varied ophthalmic surgery than they would have been able to do stateside. These rotations, many of them performed under world-renowned surgeons, usually are a few weeks’ duration and involve surgery and training for St. John staff. A comfortable staff apartment is available and spouses are welcome.
Providing Equipment and Medical Supplies
The Hospital maintains a list of current equipment and medical supply needs. We will gladly send you a copy. For decades, major drug companies have been supporting the Hospital with gifts of free prescription medicines, many organized by members of the Priory’s Hospital Committee. Last year, the U.S. contributed a significant new eye surgery machine.
We appreciate the constant flow of offers to accept “used” pieces of hospital equipment. However, these provide issues of training, warranty, parts, ocean transport, and customs valuation. Sadly, we are unable to accept these gifts. Similarly, many churches have in the past generously collected hospital and relief supplies for the Hospital. Unfortunately, due to present customs/import conditions, we are unable at the present to secure entry into Israel for items like this, so we cannot accept these items.
As for now, a financial contribution to the Hospital through The Priory in the U.S. will enable you to make a very significant contribution to the Hospital’s programs. We also welcome suggestions of companies that may be willing to donate new equipment and needed medical supplies.
Adopting a Hospital Staffer
One of the easiest and most productive ways to support St. John is to adopt a staff member. Churches, schools and communities all over the world have raised funds to support a doctor, nurse or other staff member of their choice.
These arrangements are made through The Priory in the U.S., according to the Hospital’s needs and the special interests of donors. For example, a church may want to support the eye treatment of children, or a seniors’ community might support a nurse or staffer to work with the elderly.
