 The Buhlers were especially grateful to the incredible care they received from Dr. Mathen and Dr. Bellan over the years. Bonnie and John Buhler’s journey with and support of Misericordia Health Centre (MHC) dates back decades. Bonnie’s parents received eye care at the centre. After hearing an appeal from her father’s doctor about the need to expand the ophthalmology clinic and hire more specialists, the Buhlers became donors.
They helped fund the redevelopment of MHC’s ophthalmology clinics nearly two decades ago and recently made a generous gift of $1.5 million to the Eye Care Centre of Excellence. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to be without your eyesight,” Bonnie says. Several years ago, Bonnie, experiencing spots in her vision, visited the urgent eye clinic at Misericordia. She required laser surgery. “It was a long weekend, and the doctor’s shift had just ended, but he put his things down and took care of myself and another gentleman.” Going above and beyond is part of MHC’s reputation. MHC’s Eye Care Centre of Excellence is the largest eye care centre in Western Canada, treating over 40,000 patients annually in its specialty eye clinics and performing 15,000 eye surgeries every year. “As Johnny aged with macular degeneration, his world became really small because he was losing his sight, and it made it a lot harder,” Bonnie shares. “When Johnny had cataract surgery, Dr. van der Zweep did it. They let me stay with him because he had dementia, but they were just [as] caring of me as [for] him. It was amazing. They really went out of their way to make sure that he was well taken care of.” The Buhler’s latest gift, made before John’s passing, in late 2023, will continue their legacy of caring by helping to acquire two crucial specialized pieces of equipment for the eye care centre. The first is highly efficient retinal imaging equipment, which enables faster and more accessible assessments for patients. The second is a surgical microscope that will help with a variety of procedures, including retinal surgeries, corneal transplants, and cataract and glaucoma surgeries. Dr. John van der Zweep, head of ophthalmology, emphasizes the incredible scope of the Buhlers’ investment: “The entire team at the Eye Care Centre of Excellence is extremely grateful to the Buhlers for their extraordinary investments in innovation. Thanks to their generosity, our clinics are equipped with cutting-edge technology that enables the timely diagnosis and treatment of eye disease. Their support is quite literally saving sight and restoring vision every single day.” “I can’t say enough good things about the people at the health centre – the doctors, the staff, everybody,” Bonnie reiterates. “So many people that have told us that they’ve gone to the eye care centre, and there’s been nothing but praise for all of the doctors and the care they’ve received.” “John and Bonnie’s profound philanthropic commitment to Manitoba cannot be overstated. Misericordia Health Centre Foundation is deeply grateful and humbled for their years of unwavering support and heartfelt friendship. Because of their generosity, MHC is immeasurably stronger,” says Kris Gladwell, President & CEO of MHC Foundation. To see the full announcement in The Winnipeg Free Press by writer Kristin Marand, please click here.
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