Physicians Offer Gift of Sight for the Holidays
Screenings for Indigent Patients Will Be Held on Thursday, Nov. 17

Jacksonville, Fla., November 5, 2005   -   Baptist Medical Center and local ophthalmologists are joining together again this holiday season to give the gift of sight to patients in need in Jacksonville. For the 15^th year, the hospital and these physicians will offer complimentary cataract surgery to approximately 15 medically indigent people.

Screenings for the surgery will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, November 17, and will be performed in the Jacksonville office of ophthalmologist:

Jeffrey Levenson, MD
751 Oak Street
Riverside Park Place, Suite 200

Call 904.366.3781 to make an appointment. All potential participants must be screened for eligibility. Screenings will be done by appointment only and space is limited. Participants must be clinically needy and medically indigent in order to qualify for surgery. The surgeries will take place during the month of December.

"The greatest gift we can provide for a person is giving them the ability to see a loved one," says Dr. Levenson. "For the 15th straight year, we are pleased to offer the gift of sight to Jacksonville residents in need."

Ophthalmologists will perform the surgeries with the assistance of Baptist Medical Center anesthesiologists. Baptist will donate operating room time, supplies and staff time. Physicians from Baptist Primary Care are donating their services to provide pre-registration physicals to patients selected to receive surgery.

"We commend Dr. Levenson and his colleagues for their continued community leadership in providing care to those who otherwise could not afford it," said John Wilbanks, chief operating officer and administrator of Baptist Medical Center. "And we are truly thrilled that this generous effort has become a Jacksonville holiday tradition."