Bernardita “Edith” Navarro, MD (Fellowship 1995), medical director from the Tzu Chi Eye Center, Santa Mesa, Philippines, will deliver the Guillermo and Marta de Venecia Lecture at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Virtual Grand Rounds on March 17. Her talk is entitled “Footprints of Compassion.”
Dr. Navarro attended medical school at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. After completing her internship and residency at Santo Tomas University Hospital, Dr. Navarro completed her ophthalmology fellowship in cornea, external disease and refractive surgery from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health in 1995.
Dr. Navarro is currently the medical director at Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Philippines, Inc., the world’s largest Buddhist humanitarian organization, which provides free eye care and procedures to those who need it.
About the de Venecia LectureGuillermo de Venecia and his wife, nurse Marta de Venecia, began traveling to the Philippines and treating the rural community in 1978. Their goal was to restore sight to thousands of people affected by cataracts due to limited healthcare access in the Philippines. The de Venecias, through the Free Rural Eye Clinics Corp., generously gave a gift to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences to continue the de Venecias’ impactful legacy. The funds assist in providing free eye surgery, medical treatment and consultation to indigent patients and introduction of new treatments to providers. It also provides opportunities for collaboration and learning experiences through an exchange program. This lecture was named in their honor.
Photos from 2023 De Venecia Lecture
