Naomi Singer's Legacy Supports UH Pediatric Ophthalmology
Parents place trust in the UH Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology when their children need treatment for complex vision-threatening conditions. With the combined specialized care of UH Eye Institute and the world-renowned physicians of UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s, pediatric patients are in the best of hands. Over the years, hundreds of infants and children have been given the precious gift of sight.
In December 2021, UH lost a dear friend, Naomi Singer, whose lifelong empathy for children with sight issues spurred her tireless legacy of compassion and support.
Naomi was passionate about UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s, and was one of the founding members of the Rainbow National Leadership Council. She and her husband Edwin established the Naomi G. Singer Pediatric Contact Lens Endowment Fund and generously contributed to it for more than 20 years.
Vision plays a critical role in children’s physical, cognitive and social development. Uncorrected vision problems can impair that development, interfere with learning and even lead to permanent vision loss. As such, early detection and immediate treatment is crucial. The Singer Fund provides specialty contact lenses required for complex eye disease and diagnoses.
Naomi’s interest in the issue was born of the struggles she herself suffered as a child. Born extremely near-sighted, she described wearing “Coke-bottle glasses” and being prevented for participating in gym, art and music classes in an effort to “save her eyes."
Interviewed years ago for a Plain Dealer article chronicling her philanthropy, Naomi’s commitment and goodwill were clear. “When I heard about children who may lose their vision, I knew we had to help," she said. "I wish I had $500 million to save the sight of every child in Ohio."
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s is forever grateful to the Singer family. Their longtime charitable commitment opened a whole new world to children from six weeks to 18 years old. Naomi’s unparalleled compassion and generosity live on through countless UH Rainbow patients whose lives and vision have forever been transformed.