Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research

Lions Eye Institute and RTI Donor Services Expand Strategic Relationship to Maximize the Gift of Tissue Donation

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research (LEITR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the recovery, evaluation and distribution of eye tissue, and RTI Donor Services, Inc. (RTIDS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing responsible stewardship of the gift of tissue donation, announced an expanded relationship to increase efficiencies in tissue donation and enhance patients’ lives. Through this relationship, each partner will focus on its core area of expertise. Beginning November 1, 2018, LEITR will manage all aspects of tissue recovery services for Florida hospitals in RTIDS’ former service area and RTIDS will focus specifically on acquiring tissue for processing and distribution.

LEITR will now expand from exclusively procuring eye tissue to assuming responsibility for procurement of bone, skin, heart valves, connective tissue and veins used in surgeries and medical research at hospitals throughout Florida. LEITR will reach more facilities, develop new programs and a deeper level of service benefiting hospitals, health systems and donor families. The relationship will expand LEITR’s network to include 189 hospitals and medical examiner offices in Florida and 72 facilities in Louisiana. LEITR anticipates employing many of RTIDS’ professional team of specialists, growing its staff across Florida to ensure all areas of expertise are covered.

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2018 LIONS EYE BALL

We invite you to join us at the 12th annual Lions Eye Ball on Saturday, September 15, 2018 at the Tampa Airport Marriott Hotel.

This year’s Lions Eye Ball celebrates the Lions Eye Institute’s 45 years of service in the community and our commitment to set new standards for ocular endeavors that will improve visual outcomes and quality of life for those who are blind or visually impaired.

We hope you will join us to be a part of a team that gives the gift of sight by providing ocular tissue to individuals who cannot afford sight-saving surgery. Your generosity will ensure that we accomplish this mission and continue to fulfill Helen Keller’s challenge to be “Knights of the blind in this crusade against darkness.”

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