Page 7 - MidWeek - Oct 5, 2022

OCTOBER 5, 2022 MIDWEEK 7
Eleventh grader Alec Tan has always been passionate about helping others. While there are many ways one can be of service, Alec chose to do something that is not typical of a high school student — he started his own nonprofit.
Founded in early 2020, WikiVision educates young adults about important health issues and helps the community’s older demographic, too. In collaboration with Pacific Vision Institute of Hawai‘i, Eye Doctors Hawai‘i, Pacific Anesthe- sia and Eye Surgery Center of Hawai‘i, WikiVision helped provide free cataract surgeries to nearly two-dozen senior res- idents last month as part of its Cataract Surgery Day.
As patients cried with tears of joy af- ter their successful surgeries, Alec recalls feeling grateful that WikiVision was able to help make it all happen.
and grandfather Dr. Min Hin Tham, who are both ophthalmologists.
“I feel truly honored to have been able to assist seniors in our commu- nity who have been living in the dark, unable to see clearly and unable to get the most out of life, by allowing them to regain their sight,” Alec says.
“I have been immersed in knowledge about the eye and the importance of sight since my early childhood,” Alec says. “They would always be sharing about the people they helped during our dinner conversations.”
Cataracts, which can occur when the lenses of one’s eyes becomes cloudy, can lead to blindness if left untreated. The typical cost of a cataract surgery ranges from $6,000 to $10,000 for those without insurance. The recipients who received the free surgeries were identi- fied through local health clinics, church- es and homeless shelters.
Being the CEO and founder of a nonprofit while juggling the responsi- bilities of a normal high school student is undoubtedly a lot of work, but Alec proves that he is up to the task.
WikiVision hopes to continue to provide its cataract surgery event and expand its reach in the future. This year, the nonprofit raised more than $25,000 through a virtual charity con- cert and would like to raise even more money next year.
“As a junior at ‘Iolani School, I have quite a rigorous academic workload and a busy schedule,” Alec notes. “I dedicate a lot of my free time to work- ing on WikiVision, whether on the weekends or after school.”
In addition to Alec, the WikiVision team consists of several other teenag- ers, including his sister Arabella Tan, as well as Tamana Lum, Adam Nguy- en and Caleb Lee.
“Your ultimate goal should be to help others, in whatever way that speaks to you,” Alec says. “WikiVision is my vision, but yours could be something entirely dif- ferent. You truly get a sense of satisfaction when you can see how you have changed individual lives for the better.”
Alec attributes his interest in eye care to his mother Dr. Vivien Tham
To learn more about WikiVision, visit wikivision.info.
Alec Tan
At a young age, Alec has already made a positive impact in the community and believes that anyone can do it, too.
— Tasha Mero
Photo courtesy Kwong Tan