Eyeflow CEO Phil Laboon Partners Up with Surgicorps International Once More

December 30, 2014 - Back in late August, Eyeflow President and CEO Phil Laboon made international headlines when he transformed his canceled wedding ceremony into one of the most successful fundraising events of the year. Now, Laboon is teaming up with the team at Surgicorps International once again to help promote awareness for the Surgicorps mission.

Surgicorps draws from volunteers all around the world, although the majority are from the Pittsburgh region. Volunteers evaluate every patient that shows up for Screening Day and treat as many as possible. Surgeons repair cleft lip/palate deformities, burn scar contractures and do their best to respond to the individual medical needs of each country. In recent years, they have added dental services to their repertoire in Bhutan and Vietnam expanding the number served by more than 1,000. Since 2008, Surgicorps has completed a minimum of 4 medical missions per year and makes multi-year commitments to individual countries where ongoing care is combined with service to new patients.

To celebrate their 20th year of helping patients, Surgicorps will be raffling off a one-of-a-kind Tanzanite stone necklace they received on a medical mission to Tanzania in 2006. The Tanzanite "Hope" Necklace is a breathtakingly beautiful piece of jewelry, handcrafted and featuring a 7.5-karat violet-blue oval Tanzanite stone. The necklace as a whole has an appraised value of over $13,000.

In hopes of replicating some of the success of Laboon's LemonAID event, Surgicorps has asked Laboon if he would accept the honor of selecting the winning raffle ticket. The drawing will take place during a ceremony scheduled at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30 at the Mount Washington Overlook at the top of the Monongahela Incline on Mount Washington.

"It's fantastic to see the amount of press and support we've received since LemonAID," said Laboon when asked about what he feels may be in store for 2015. "Jack, Linda and the entire Surgicorps team have dedicated their life to helping others, and it's an honor to work alongside them once more."

The tickets for the raffle drawing have been sold over the course of the year by the team at Surgicorps International, with one lucky winner taking home this once in a lifetime keepsake. All of the net proceeds from the yearlong ticket sales will be put towards funding upcoming Surgicorps missions. To learn more about "Hope" necklace raffle and the happenings after August's "LemonAID" event, please visit http://www.eyeflow.com/laboon-looks-make-lemonaid-surgicorps-international/.

In 2015, the Surgicorps team will take six medical mission trips throughout Africa, Asia, and South America. Many of the scheduled 2015 trips are still open to volunteers. If you are interested in learning more about Surgicorps and how you can help, Laboon and the Surgicorps team invite you to attend the raffle ceremony at the PPG Rink this Tuesday, December 30th at noon. To learn more about the Surgicorps mission, please visit http://surgicorps.org.