Dr Greg Clariday Given Honorary Membership
Posted by Jon R. McKinnie
on Aug 10, 2012
Space Center Rotary presented Dr Greg Clariday with Honorary Membership, to recognize his outstanding contribution to not only the local community, but also for his long servicing participation in the Guerrero Clinic in Mexico. Every year, Dr Clariday and his team travels to the Guerrero Clinic and performs hundreds of cataract and other eye surgeries. When the news spreads that Dr Clariday is returning to the clinic, hundreds line up waiting for his teams arrival.
Dr. Clariday and his wife Barbara live in the Clear Lake area, attend Gateway Community Church and are very active in their community. They have three beautiful daughters, two granddaughters and one grandson.
Dr. Clariday has a deep passion for giving back through his support and participation in medical missions. He currently is the Head of Ophthalmology for The Crystal Foundation, and travels semi-annually to Guerrero, Mexico to assist the indigent people of the Copper Canyon region. He also travels semi-annually to San Fernando, Mexico with a medical outreach mission ministry through his church.
Though it’s hard for most of us to imagine, think for a moment what life would be like without access to quality medical care. Living with pain and disease is a way of life for people in many countries, and one of our closest neighbors, Mexico, is wrought with some of the worst poverty and scarcity in the world.
To help improve the quality of life for a small village in the Copper Canyon Region of Mexico, Rotarian Walter Branson, physicians, surgeons, and a host of volunteers donate time each year to travel to Guerrero, Chihuahua, Mexico to provide much needed medical services to those less fortunate.
The majority of the people served by the Crystal Foundation have eye problems – mostly cataracts. “There is a large incident of cataracts in this region,” Walter says. “No one really knows why. Many of these people are nearly blind when they come to us. When they leave, they can see again for the first time in 10 – 15 years.”
Dr. Gregory Clariday became involved with the Crystal Foundation in the spring of 2003. “I was really looking for some way to give and to be of some help,” he says. “When I found the Crystal Foundation, it was the answer to my prayers.”
Dr. Clariday is now the Head of Ophthalmology for the missions to Mexico. A typical trip involves about 50-60 people: Four ophthalmologists, (two Americans and two Mexicans), eight optometrists, two dentists, two opticians, nurses, and volunteers, including Dr. Clariday’s staff. Each doctor typically performs 30-40 procedures every day during their weeklong visit. Everyone gives freely of their own time and talent, but the rewards are great. Though they don’t make any money for their services, they receive something even better.
Dr. Clariday has a deep passion for giving back through his support and participation in medical missions. He currently is the Head of Ophthalmology for The Crystal Foundation, and travels semi-annually to Guerrero, Mexico to assist the indigent people of the Copper Canyon region. He also travels semi-annually to San Fernando, Mexico with a medical outreach mission ministry through his church.
Though it’s hard for most of us to imagine, think for a moment what life would be like without access to quality medical care. Living with pain and disease is a way of life for people in many countries, and one of our closest neighbors, Mexico, is wrought with some of the worst poverty and scarcity in the world.
To help improve the quality of life for a small village in the Copper Canyon Region of Mexico, Rotarian Walter Branson, physicians, surgeons, and a host of volunteers donate time each year to travel to Guerrero, Chihuahua, Mexico to provide much needed medical services to those less fortunate.
The majority of the people served by the Crystal Foundation have eye problems – mostly cataracts. “There is a large incident of cataracts in this region,” Walter says. “No one really knows why. Many of these people are nearly blind when they come to us. When they leave, they can see again for the first time in 10 – 15 years.”
Dr. Gregory Clariday became involved with the Crystal Foundation in the spring of 2003. “I was really looking for some way to give and to be of some help,” he says. “When I found the Crystal Foundation, it was the answer to my prayers.”
Dr. Clariday is now the Head of Ophthalmology for the missions to Mexico. A typical trip involves about 50-60 people: Four ophthalmologists, (two Americans and two Mexicans), eight optometrists, two dentists, two opticians, nurses, and volunteers, including Dr. Clariday’s staff. Each doctor typically performs 30-40 procedures every day during their weeklong visit. Everyone gives freely of their own time and talent, but the rewards are great. Though they don’t make any money for their services, they receive something even better.