Robuti sees for the first time

The Canvasback Missions visiting eye team with six-year-old Robuti Jack at Majuro hospital, from left: Dr. Bruce Flint, Dr. Kimberly Browne, Canvasback Director Jacque Spence, Dr. David Gano, Dr. Sally Mellgren (who performed the eye surgeries on Robuti), and Thomas Jack, Robuti's father.
The Canvasback Missions visiting eye team with six-year-old Robuti Jack at Majuro hospital, from left: Dr. Bruce Flint, Dr. Kimberly Browne, Canvasback Director Jacque Spence, Dr. David Gano, Dr. Sally Mellgren (who performed the eye surgeries on Robuti), and Thomas Jack, Robuti’s father.

Hundreds of local residents received life-improving surgery and treatment from Canvasback Missions team of eye experts, who wrapped up a two-week visit to Majuro last Friday.

But no result was more dramatic than that of six-year-old Robuti Jack, who has been blind since he was born six years ago. He is the son of Thomas Jack and Helena Amsa Jack.

With her typical enthusiasm for each patient the Canvasback team sees, program coordinator Jacque Spence told the Journal late last week: “We had an awesome case yesterday. A little six-year-old boy who was born with cataracts came to the clinic.”

Dr. Sally Mellgren first performed surgery on Robuti’s right eye, and immediately following the surgery, he could see from the eye.

“For the first time today, he saw his daddy!” said Spence. “He was able to trace the numbers on a flash card. He’ll keep improving.”

The next day Robuti came back and Mellgren fixed his other eye.

Following the surgery, Robuti’s father said his son can now clearly see out of both eyes. His son turned six two weeks ago and has not been able to attend school because of his blindness. “We are looking forward to send him this coming school year,” he said.

The Canvasback eye team that was here for two weeks conducted 339 eye exams, 199 surgeries, and 50 laser procedures for diabetic retinopathy patients.

“The clinic nurses did a fabulous job in organizing the patients and the operating room staff were so amazingly supportive,” Spence said.

Read more about this in the June 30, 2017 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.