SEE International Names Humanitarians of the Year and Honors Donors

On Saturday, October 17, SEE International celebrated their 2026 Humanitarians of the Year and top donors at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. 

The SEE International 2026 Humanitarians of the Year are Kanika Agarwal MD, Rupert Chowins OD, and Michael Young OD.

In honoring the humanitarians and the organization’s donors, SEE International President and CEO Don Bell shared, “In 2026, SEE will deliver the largest volume of free eye surgeries in its 50-year history, reaching more than 80,000 patients in developing countries around the world. But our impact extends beyond surgery. 

“Over the past year, more than 800 surgeons, optometrists, nurses, ophthalmic assistants, and community mobilizers participated in SEE-supported training programs. By investing in education and training, we are strengthening local capacity and helping build sustainable eye care systems in the countries where the need is greatest. 

“Here at home, SEE Vision Care clinics provide free eye care to more than 8,500 parents in Santa Barbara County each year. Changes to California’s Medi-Cal program are expected to increase demand for our services in 2027. At a time of tight budgets and growing needs, SEE remains committed to ensuring that no patient is turned away. Our schoolchildren, seniors, veterans, and neighbors deserve access to comprehensive vision care, and SEE will continue working to make that care available to all.” 

Dr. Agarwal led SEE programs and education campaigns in 2026. She is known for her passionate involvement in humanitarian eye care and training, and completed SEE’s Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) L1 and L2 courses in 2022. With SEE, she has worked in Ghana, Honduras, the Philippines, and Guatemala, where she helped lead a Travel to Teach program. Dr. Agarwal is active in the SEE Global Network, where she often speaks in its live lecture series and helps other volunteers find resources and get involved.

Upon receiving her award, she said, “It is a privilege to be a part of the SEE family and the shared endeavor to reduce blindness worldwide. With this badge of honor, I hope to continue to develop international partnerships that share our goal of implementing and maintaining ethical, accessible, and self-sustainable eye care.  Being a humanitarian is not only about volunteering time and donating money and materials. It is about staying true to my ethics and morals while empowering those I am helping to have the confidence to do the same.”

Chowins has worked at SEE International since 2023 to ensure continuity of care for SEE Vision Care patients, including opening his SLO Noor Clinic during a provider transition and providing ongoing support during staffing shortages. He also connected SEE’s program to VSP Eyes of Hope, leading to a significant partnership that brought expanded vision services to North County Santa Barbara in August 2026. 

Bell added, “[Chowins] dedicated service to the people of Nuevo Progresso, Guatemala, with the Hospital de la Familia. Dr. Chowins’ commitment to serving underserved communities, both locally and internationally, exemplifies true humanitarianism.” 

Chowins on receiving the award, “In working with SEE regionally providing free eye exams and glasses to those in need, and internationally as SEE supports a charity regional eye hospital in rural Guatemala, it has been a pleasure to host several SEE staff members at this hospital and to learn about the monumental work that SEE does all over the world. To be recognized by this revered group is an immensely proud moment of my life and career.”

Since 1993, Dr. Young has partnered with SEE Vision Care through his private practice, supporting its mission to provide care to underserved patients weekly, where he is known across North County for his kind spirit and exceptional patient care. After retiring from private practice in 2023, he continued his commitment to service by joining SEE’s partner SAVIE Health in 2024, where he continues to provide vision care to patients today. 

Dr. Young commented that, “My ten-year association with SEE has been nothing but wonderful, and inspirational. I want to thank all those who have made this possible: My office staff, all the doctors at the Shepard Eye Center and California Retina to whom I have referred patients, as well as the SEE Vision Care and SAVIE Health staff. And thank you to all the SEE patients. They have been very gracious, considerate, and are the most appreciative patients that I’ve ever had. They have made everyone’s efforts to give the gift of sight so rewarding.”

Donors attending the event included Brent and Sue Anderson, Keith Moore, Mark Cooper, and Ellie Smith, joined with SEE International Board members including Board Chair Scott Groff, Wright Watling, and Travis Morrow.