The Eye Witness Group works along side the Lions Eye Bank (Alberta) Society to help promote awareness on the need for eye tissue donation. This group also provides support to people waiting or recovering from transplant surgery.

Formed in 1997 by a grateful corneal recipient and the Lions Eye Bank Transplant Co-ordinator, the Eye Witness Group is a volunteer group made up of corneal recipients, recipient family members and donor family members. Our purpose is to raise awareness of the growing need for donated eye tissue, the donation process, and the life-changing results of donation.

We also support people who are waiting for transplants or recovering from surgery by answering their questions about our experiences. If you would like to speak to an Eye Witness , please contact us via the supplied e-mail link, or by phone at (403) 943-3406 , and we will ask a volunteer to contact you. We apologize, because we have very little funding, we will have to call you collect if you live outside the Calgary local calling area. A staff member from the Lions Eye Bank will match you to a ?twin?. This ?twin? will be an Eye Witness who has had the same eye disease, is about your age, or had surgery when he or she was about your age. This person will call you.

Please let us know if you would like to join the Eye Witness Group or volunteer at the Lions Eye Bank Alberta in some other capacity ? your help will be greatly appreciated.

How the Ladybug Became the Mascot

Jan Batiuk, a double corneal recipient and donor family member has experienced being on a waiting list and then receiving that incredible gift, the gift of sight. She has also been on the other side of donation, the donor side, when her mother died and her family said yes to donation.

A couple of years ago Jan gave a speech to donor families and talked about how we are too busy in life to stop and smell the flowers. She stated that if we don't even take the time to stop and smell the flowers we miss the most incredible things in life, the little things in life like that ladybug that is sitting on that flower. People in crisis, like donor families and recipients, are the ones who prioritize what is important in life. Her wish is for people to see what is truly important in life before a crisis occurs.

Jan took the symbol of the ladybug, a likeable little critter, and tied it into organ and tissue donation. The ladybug SAVES plants and trees making a difference. We can also make a difference! We want the public to become informed about organ and tissue donation, make a decision and then share that decision with their loved ones.