Welcome to the Schanzer Eye Institute

The Call to Mission

Dr. Cathy Schanzer first felt the “call” to African mission work as a third-grader, captivated by a Maryknoll priest’s stories of adventure and service. That childhood dream was realized in February 1988 when Cathy and her husband, Tom Lewis, traveled to Nigeria. It was there that Cathy performed the first of what would eventually become more than 10,000 eye surgeries on the continent.

For years, Cathy and Tom served across several African nations, providing surgical expertise and donated medical supplies to under-resourced facilities. However, their mission underwent a profound shift in 2006. At the invitation of Archbishop Joseph Ganda, they moved beyond temporary outreach to establish a modern, permanent eye care clinic in the remote village of Serabu, Sierra Leone.

A Permanent Home in Serabu

For several months, Tom supervised the transformation of a donated block building — adding water systems, electrical power, patient exam areas, an optical dispensary, and a modern, air-conditioned operating theatre equipped with state-of-the-art surgical technology, something virtually unheard of in the African bush. Cathy’s vision was firm: Serabu would be a modern facility and 100% charity, free to every patient.

“Serabu was to be a modern, 100% charity, eye care center.”— Dr. Cathy Schanzer

The clinic opened on Cathy’s birthday, January 7, 2006, with a dedication led by Archbishop Ganda. Today it runs year-round, drawing patients from seven West African countries — many of whom walk for days to reach it. A typical mission week brings more than 100 clinic patients and 30 surgeries a day, while a staff of 63 keeps the main clinic and 10 satellite sites running. Alongside free exams, medicine, eyeglasses, and surgery, the mission supports food and water programs, a computer center, scholarships from kindergarten through medical school, home rebuilding, and sports and cultural events — in a community where Christians and Muslims serve side by side in mutual respect.

The Legacy Continues

Before Dr. Cathy passed in June 2025, she asked the surgeons who had served beside her in Serabu to carry on in her absence. Twelve volunteered, and each mission team now includes two or more volunteer surgeons. In June 2026, at its 20th-anniversary celebration, the clinic was renamed the Schanzer Eye Clinic in her honor. Today, Executive Director Tom Lewis continues to lead the mission they built together — sustained by dedicated surgeons, generous supporters, and the enduring spirit of Dr. Cathy.