Moms Receive Life-Changing Gift of Sight
The Eye Institute of Utah Awards Free LASIK Surgeries for Mother’s Day
SALT LAKE CITY—May 6, 2013—The Eye Institute of Utah announces the winners of its 2013 Mother’s Day LASIK Giveaway. Four extraordinary mothers receive LASIK surgery at no cost for being randomly selected from hundreds of applicants.
Amanda Thomson, Elizabeth Plumb-Terry, Sarah Keppner and Mary Ayotte were chosen from entries submitted by their loved ones about how remarkable they are as mothers.
“Celebrating the mothers in our communities is extremely important to us,” says Salt Lake City eye surgeon Robert Cionni, MD, Medical Director of The Eye Institute of Utah. “We hope this gift conveys how much we appreciate and value the positive role they play in our society.”
From balancing careers and managing households to adopting and raising foster children, the common thread that unites these women is selflessness. The Eye Institute of Utah received touching, first-hand accounts of how the women always put the needs of others before their own. Improved vision is one of those needs each one has forgone, and they will all benefit greatly from the LASIK procedure.
Plumb-Terry’s journey through motherhood is both unique and inspiring. Around the birth of her second son, she embarked on a complicated, 18 month process to adopt her daughter Dagmawit from Ethiopia. Her husband Casey attributes her exceptional strength during that time to an unwavering commitment and dedication to their family. “Her determination for her children continues and always will,” says Casey. “She has literally gone to the ends of the earth for her children.”
As a mother of six, Ayotte is the epitome of altruism. In addition to raising three biological children, she is a foster parent to three more she is in the process of adopting. The remainder of her time is divided between various community service projects and nurturing the bonds of close friendships she has developed. Misty Bingham, Ayotte’s sister says, “Mary is the kind of mother we all dream of having and wish we were—truly selfless, endlessly patient, and unconditionally loving.”
The LASIK procedures took place on Friday, May 10, 2013, at The Eye Institute of Utah, located on 755 E. 3900 South in Salt Lake City. The surgeries involved the most advanced technology and lasers available. The Eye Institute of Utah has one of only a few IFS IntraLase® and ALLEGRETTO WAVE™ Excimer Laser Systems in Utah, which is acclaimed throughout the industry for superior results in restoring vision. Typically, LASIK performed with this technology ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 per eye.
About The Eye Institute of Utah
Known throughout the world as a leader in the eye care industry, The Eye Institute of Utah specializes in cataract intraocular lens implant surgery, standard and custom cataract surgery, and refractive surgeries including LASIK, PRK, ICL and refractive lens procedures. The Eye Institute of Utah also cares for and treats general ophthalmology needs including glaucoma, dry eye, retina, macular degeneration, and corneal transplantation. Established in 1980, The Eye Institute of Utah is the first and largest office-based eye surgical center in Utah.
