Aisha Simjee MD

Contracting and recovering from trachoma, the world's leading cause of preventable blindness, sparked a young girl's desire to become an eye doctor. Determined not to lose sight of her goal, Aisha Simjee became the first woman in her East Indian tribe to graduate from high school, refuse an arranged marriage, and emigrate from oppressive Burma to opportunity-laden America.

As a young foreigner, a woman from a Muslim family, and someone tipping the scales at 83 pounds, she overcame considerable prejudice through hard work and perseverance. As soon as she was able, she became a "sponsor-mother" to nineteen children from her family in Burma and Bangladesh. Along with her two natural-born children, all have gone on to become thriving, productive members of society, including several physicians and medical professionals.

Not only did she achieve her dream of becoming an eye doctor, she has used her successful medical practice in Southern California as a springboard to help thousands of desperate people at home and around the world. On humanitarian trips to twenty-six developing countries and counting, she has taught local doctors modern techniques in ophthalmology and profoundly changed the lives of the poor by performing sight-restoring surgeries free of charge.

Aisha Simjee, MD, is beloved and highly respected in the Southern California medical community as a board-certified, fellowship-trained and compassionate ophthalmologist. She has received considerable recognition for her charitable work locally and globally, including the following awards:

1990 Annual Women of Achievement Award, Rancho Santiago Community College, Santa Ana, California

Certificates of Recognition from the following officials:

- California State Senator John Seymour

- California Congressman Christopher Cox

- California Lieutenant Governor Leo McCarthy

1993 Values in Action Award for Service, St. Joseph Hospital

2004 Humanitarian Services Award, Orange County Board of Supervisors

2005 Pride in the Profession Award, American Medical Association

2006 Women of Vision Award, We Give Thanks

2010 Physician of the Year Award, Orange County Medical Association

2012 UCI School of Medicine Voluntary Faculty J. Edward Berk Physician Award for Humanitarian Services