EAGLE, Idaho — An Idaho emergency room doctor is delaying retirement and donating his entire year’s salary to help restore eyesight for people around the world.
Dr. Stuart Clive has worked 24-hour shifts in Idaho ERs for nearly two decades, most recently at Weiser Memorial Hospital. He said patients in rural hospitals often arrive sicker and older because they delay getting care.
“The main difference is you get a lot of people that maybe don't always seek care… and so we see a lot of sicker, older people,” Clive said.
WATCH: The Idaho doctor delaying retirement to help restore sight for thousands.
Clive, who has practiced medicine in Idaho for 17 years, said he was close to retiring until a documentary changed the direction of his career. He learned about global blindness and low-cost cataract surgeries that can restore vision.
“I learned that there are millions of people who are blind and they can be served, uh, you know, cured with a 10 minute surgery and a hundred bucks,” he said.
The procedure is at the center of Cure Blindness, a nonprofit working across Africa and Asia to train surgeons, build eye centers and expand access to low-cost eye care. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and in many regions, a simple operation can restore a patient’s sight.
Instead of ending his career, Clive decided to keep working and donate his full salary to help fund those surgeries.
“I decided I could really make a difference by just continuing on and working a little longer,” Clive said.
He said the choice has changed the way he feels about his job — even after long overnight shifts.
“I’d been up for, you know, 23 hours and I sat down and I thought, you know, this is rough, but where would I rather be? And I couldn't think of anywhere that I’d rather be,” he said.
Clive said each shift now feels tied to someone across the world who may soon see again.
“It’s mind-blowing… just letting people know the difference that just a little teeny tiny sacrifice can make,” he said.
For anyone considering doing something similar, he encouraged them to try.
“I would say, you know, try it… I didn't expect it to feel, I mean, I knew the grand concept of things that it would feel good, but I didn't realize the day to day, you know, hour to hour, it's really gratifying,” Clive said.
More information about the organization is available on their website.
