MDI Lions Club Donates $5,000 to MDI Hospital’s Ophthalmology Department for Second Consecutive Year

Bar Harbor, ME – April 30, 2025 – The Mount Desert Island (MDI) Lions Club has once again demonstrated its steadfast commitment to community health by donating $5,000 to the Ophthalmology Department at Mount Desert Island Hospital. This is the second consecutive year the club has made this generous contribution, helping to expand access to essential eye care services for those in need across the island.

“At our core, the MDI Lions Club is focused on providing services, mostly financial, to members of our local communities in need,” said MDI Lions Club Secretary Weston Porter. “One of those services is to help the blind and visually impaired. We are proud to support MDI Hospital’s Ophthalmology Department for the second year in a row.”

The funds were raised through a variety of community-based efforts, including local raffles and fundraising events hosted throughout the year. These initiatives enable the Lions Club to make meaningful contributions that directly benefit individuals and families across Mount Desert Island.

“We are incredibly grateful to the MDI Lions Club for their continued support and generosity,” said Chrissi Maguire, MDI Hospital President and CEO. “This $5,000 donation directly impacts the lives of community members who may otherwise go without critical eye care. The Lions Club’s dedication to accessible local health and wellbeing is truly inspiring.”

The MDI Hospital Ophthalmology Department at their Northeast Harbor Health Center provides a wide range of services to patients across the island, including treatment of eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts. The Lions Club’s donation helps ensure that vision care remains accessible, regardless of financial circumstances.

For more information about the MDI Lions Club and their charitable efforts, visit https://www.mainelions.org/. For more information about MDI Hospital Ophthalmology, visit this page: https://www.mdihospital.org/service-at-mdi-hospital/ophthalmology/

“It’s such a beautiful race,” she said. “The scenery is breathtaking, and the crowd energy is amazing. My mom has come up both years to cheer me on, which also makes it really special.” Whether she’s racing along the island’s winding roads or venturing into Acadia’s trails, Caitlin has found that being outdoors recharges her and deepens her appreciation for the intersection between health, resilience, and nature, a passion that has inspired her next step.

After residency completion this year, Caitlin is pursuing a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine, a field that perfectly blends her love for the outdoors with her dedication to emergency care. “Working at MDI Hospital has been an example of the merger between helping people in challenging environments and working closely in nature that I hope to experience during fellowship,” she said.

Reflecting on her time at MDI Hospital, Caitlin expressed deep gratitude for the people and experiences that have shaped her journey. “I plan to use the skills I have learned across my rotations at MDI Hospital going forward into my medical career so that I can provide great patient-centered care,” she said. “I will also remember the wonderful people I have met and cared for here who have helped shape my medical training to date.”

Whether running along the rugged coastline or responding to patients in the ED, Caitlin has found that MDI offers the perfect mix of challenge, inspiration, and community. It’s no surprise that for her, coming back to Mount Desert Island felt less like returning to a rotation, and more like coming home.

MDI Hospital

MDI Hospital
10 Wayman Lane
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207.288.5081

At Mount Desert Island Hospital, we provide comprehensive care for you and your family through our hospital in Bar Harbor and a network of health centers across Mount Desert Island.