Meet the Team

FOUNDER AND LEAD SURGEON, BOARD VP

Dr. Russ Burcham is a board-certified ophthalmologist who has practiced general ophthalmology in Aurora, Colorado for 45 years. He specializes in cataract surgery. For the past 26 years he has focused his attention on restoring sight to the poor people in Latin America in the Name of Jesus.  Dr. Burcham‘s heart is that the thousands of cataract surgeries on blind people in Panama, Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua have resulted in many people praising God for their new vision.

LEAD SURGEON

Dr. Thomas first joined a Panama Eye Ministry surgical expedition in 2006 and attended many more in the following 20 years. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Colorado and has been a cataract specialist in San Antonio, TX ever since. He married his high school sweetheart, and they have 11 children and 3 grandchildren. John 14:15

LEAD SURGEON

Dr. Miguel Morcillo is an Ophthalmologist with extensive experience in Refractive and Cataract Surgery. He has developed his career at prestigious centers in Spain, Italy and United Arab Emirates. In addition to his professional career, Dr. Morcillo has also been committed to charitable work since 1999.  He has assisted at eye clinics in many countries, including Africa, India and South America. Since 2010, he has been collaborating with Panama Eye Ministry in diverse areas of Panama, supporting initiatives aimed at providing eye care and surgical services to underserved populations.

LEAD OPTOMETRIST

Dr. Gene Johnson obtained his Doctorate of Optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago. He has an interest in optometric humanitarian work and has been on many clinic trips to Mexico, Peru and Panama. He began volunteering with Panama Eye Ministry in 2010. Outside of the office he enjoys spending time with his two grown children, cooking, camping and outdoor activities.

BOARD PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY

Ken has been serving the Panama Eye Ministry since the year 2000. He recently retired from the corporate world and enjoys traveling with his wife, children and 8 grandchildren. Ken also serves as an Elder at his Church in the Dallas area and teaches Church History.

TRIP ADMINISTRATOR, BOARD TREASURER

Vicki Burcham has been a devoted Christian mother and homemaker for 56 years, raising six children and pouring her life into 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She has the huge job of being the primary administrator of all mission trips and serves as an ophthalmology technician in preparing patients for surgery. Along with Russ, her great joy is helping blind people receive new vision and encouraging their faith in Jesus. 

OR COORDINATOR, LEAD NURSE, BOARD MEMBER

Renee Miller is an operating room nurse who specializes in ophthalmology.  She was invited to join Dr. Burcham’s mission group to assist in cataract and pterygium surgeries in Panama in 2005. Since then, Renee has traveled over 25 times with them. In addition to her rewarding work with Panama Eye Ministry, Renee and her husband are blessed to live a full life with their four children and their spouses, as well as being Mimi and Pops to eight grandchildren.

BOARD MEMBER

For many years while raising her three daughters, Shannon admired from a distance the incredible, life-changing mission work Russ and Vicki Burcham (her in-laws) provided in Latin America.  Several years ago, when her daughters were older, Shannon had the opportunity to join their amazing team in Panama. Shannon would tell you it is a true joy and privilege to witness and be a part of what the Lord is doing through Panama Eye Ministry – bringing sight to the blind and transforming lives in the name of Jesus.