VHF Board Vice-President Receives Prestigious Award

VHF Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees and Vanderbilt Ophthalmologist, Dr. Denis O'Day, was recently presented with one of Ophthalmology's most prestigious awards--the Lucien Howe Medal.
Dr. O'Day has served on VHF's Board for the past five years.  During that time, he has been to Haiti three times and has been directly involved with both fundraising and planning of the Visitation Clinic as well as future plans for an Ambulatory Surgery Center and full-service hospital there.
He has also been instrumental in creating a strong partnership between Vanderbilt and the clinic in Haiti, and during the past year, Dr. O'Day has chaired the Clinical Services Committee for VHF.  He also plans to involve interns and residents by providing opportunities for them to travel to Haiti and share experiences with the clinic staff there. 
A member of the Vanderbilt faculty since 1972, Dr. O'Day specializes in the management of corneal and external disease, with particular expertise in diagnosing difficult and unusual types of ocular infections and fungal disease.
Dr. O'Day was responsible for developing the Tennessee Lions Eye Center at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in 1997, and served as chair of the department from 1992 to 2002.
Dr. O'Day said he was totally surprised that he was chosen to receive this honor.
"It is humbling," he said.  "I had absolutely no idea at all that I was receiving this honor.  I was stunned.  I am still stunned.  Those who have received the medal are an impressive group and to be recognized among them..it's amazing."
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Dr. O'Day received his undergraduate degree from Xavier College in Melbourne and his medical degree from the University of Melbourne Medical School  He joined Vanderbilt as an assistant professor after completing his residency in internal medicine in Melbourne, an Ophthalmology residency at the University of California, San Francisco, and a fellowship in corneal and external disease at Moorefeild's Eye Hospital in London.
"We are very blessed to have such a dedicated, energetic, and compassionate person such as Dr. O'Day serve on our Board of Trustees," said Fran Rajotte, VHF director of Development and Communications.  "He has inspired many people to become involved in this ministry to provide hope and healing for the poor and vulnerable of Haiti.  For this we are eternally grateful to him."