5K Eye Run, Eye Walk

Shortcuts

• Address
• Telephone
• Alerts
• Contact The Organization
• Claim ownership or report listing

• 

  Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Lake Worth?

5K Eye Walk Eye Run

The 5k Eye Walk Eye Run is a sporting event that was organized in 2014 to encourage physical fitness and educate the community on diabetic eye diseases. The event begins typically with a 5 kilometer run or walk by the participants and ends with a health fair which features live music, health related vendors and health care speakers. The event was created by Dr. Monique Barbour and The Smiles and Vision Foundation, which is a 501 (c) 3 organization that promotes vision and dental wellness. The foundation was organized by Dr. Monique Barbour, an ophthalmologist and Dr. Robert Victome, a dentist in 2004. The missions of the organization are to provide eye care and dental services to the underserved both locally and internationally, provide education and nutritional counseling, provide mentoring and scholarships to youth heading into health care careers and to provide support as needed for the surrounding, underserved communities.

Dr. Barbour is particularly compassionate about prevention of blinding diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma in the African American Community. She is a board certified, comprehensive ophthalmologist and is involved with screening for such eye diseases on a daily basis. In 2014, she organized the 5K Eye Walk Eye Run to create awareness for these sight stealing diseases which are disproportionately affecting the community after discovering so many undiagnosed diabetic patients who manifested retinopathy without prior diabetes diagnoses. The event promotes general wellness, participation through physical activity by walking or running the 5 kilometers, free eye screenings, education and counseling.

The foundation, through its “Barbara Kirk Spirit Award” scholarship program, has also supported youth seeking to pursue careers in medicine and dentistry. In 2017, the foundation awarded $500 to an economically disadvantaged student from Pahokee Middle High School who was headed to college to pursue a degree in the health field. For more information regarding the scholarship, you may contact Dr. Barbour. The application deadline in February 27 each calendar year. To qualify, the student must be a graduating senior from a Palm Beach County high school, already have a college acceptance letter, submit an essay explaining their intention to become a health care professional, be economically disadvantaged, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be raised in a home with a single parent.

The Smiles and Vision Foundation has also partnered with other charitable organizations to provide clothing and supplies to underserved youth in the surrounding communities of Pahokee, Belle Glade and Lake Worth. This year organization intends to raise funds to provide technology for youth without internet access through it’s “Tablets for Teens” project. This project is founded to provide support for youth without internet access or equipment for internet access during the ‘virtual’ school year.