The COS Foundation is the philanthropic and outreach arm of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. The goal of the COS Foundation is to enhance ophthalmological care and to advance education and research in the field of ophthalmology in Canada. It is through the COS Foundation that we aim to help those around the world access crucial resources for vision health.

Awards

Thanks to the generous support of the Raymond Stein Family, the COS Foundation has supported the Harold Stein Innovator Lectureship at the COS Annual Meeting and Exhibition since 2018. This lectureship award is given to a keynote speaker who has advanced innovation in ophthalmology.

In 2022, the Harold Stein Innovator Lecture was provided by Dr. Carol Shields on June 10, 2022. Dr. Shields’ lecture focused on Conjunctival Tumors: From Surgery to Topicals to Biologics.

Access to Services in Rural and Remote Canadian Communities

Access to ophthalmological services for Canadians in underserved, rural, or remote areas is a primary focus of the COS Foundation. The need for innovative and concrete solutions for those living far from urban centres has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COS Foundation is exploring to improve vision health in rural, remote, and underserved populations.

The four areas of focus include:

1. Access to Vision Care
2. Preservation of Sight
3. Elimination of Preventable Blindness
4. Adherence to Treatments

More information on this exciting initiative will be available soon.

Honour a Mentor

Has a mentor had a significant impact on your career, your choice of profession, or your personal life? Here is your opportunity to honour them, while supporting the important work of the COS Foundation. If you are interested in publicly honouring a mentor, please fill out this form and provide a short description of the impact that this individual has had on you, a photo of your mentor, and a donation of no less than $500.00. The photo and your description will appear on the COS Foundation site, and in an upcoming issue of Sightlines.

Future plans for the COS Foundation

• Supporting Medical or Graduate Students in the pursuit of education: The Foundation will begin supporting medical students considering pursuing the study in the field of ophthalmology, providing financial assistance to allow them to attend the COS Annual Meeting.
• Global outreach in the field of ophthalmology: The COS Foundation will provide support for an International Clinical Fellow or will partner with an international partner to support education, equipment, or other research requirements.

How can you donate to the COS Foundation?

The COS Foundation will need continued funding to support any of the above goals.

How to donate:

Through CanadaHelps

Donate via their website or using the donation form below (for Fund, please select ‘General’). Accepted methods of payment are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Google Pay and PayPal.

By Cheque

• Make payable to “COS Foundation”
• On the Memo Line, please include “General COS Foundation Donation”
• Mailing Address: 110-2733 Lancaster Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1B 0A9 

Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 and higher. If donating by cheque, in order to receive a charitable tax receipt, please send an email to [email protected] with your full name and address, and a tax receipt will be emailed to you.

Contact us

Board of Directors

COS Foundation Wall of Donors

Thank you to our generous donors: