Event Extends MBKU’s Ongoing Year-Round Commitment to Accessible Vision and Medical Care Through Ketchum Health Community Clinics and Volunteer Initiatives

For the sixth year, Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) clinicians, opticians and student volunteers will devote Thanksgiving Day to providing comprehensive eye care—including prescription glasses—to unhoused individuals in Orange County at Blessfest. On site, the team will conduct full eye examinations including use of auto-refraction, intraocular pressure checks and visual eye health evaluations. Partnering with Essilor-Lux, which donates frames and lenses, the volunteers also fit guests for eyeglasses, helping restore both vision and confidence.

MBKU’s mission of compassionate, community-centered healthcare is advanced year-round through the university’s Ketchum Health patient care and clinical teaching facilities. Open to the public in Anaheim and Los Angeles, Ketchum Health provides high-quality, affordable vision and medical services, serving patients of all ages while training future healthcare professionals. As both a teaching facility and community health provider, Ketchum Health offers a full scope of optometric services—including ocular disease management, cornea and contact lenses, pediatric vision care, low vision and vision therapy—alongside primary medical care through the Ketchum Health Medical Clinic. Together, these centers deliver integrated, patient-centered care that is open to the community and grounded in MBKU’s mission of service.

In addition to its clinics, MBKU extends care into the community through a variety of volunteer initiatives. Earlier this year, the team conducted vision screenings and follow-up care for more than 220 students across the Anaheim Elementary School District. The organization also partners with local schools, shelters and nonprofit organizations—such as Angels for Sight and Alcon Pharmaceuticals—to deliver preventative and specialty care to underserved populations throughout Southern California.

“The core of our work at Ketchum Health is rooted deeply in genuine care and accessibility,” said Dr. Mark E. Nakano, OD, Associate Dean of Clinics and Assistant Professor at MBKU’s Southern California College of Optometry. “One of the most fulfilling ways to meet our mission as educators and healthcare providers is to extend that care beyond our clinic walls. Thanksgiving Day examinations, community outreach and ongoing volunteer programs reflect the university’s consistent commitment to giving back and meeting the healthcare needs of the community.”

“Community care is central to who we are and the work we do at MBKU,” added Dr. Julie A. Schornack, President of MBKU. “Through Ketchum Health’s outreach and teaching clinics, our students and faculty deliver compassionate, high-quality care where it’s needed most—on Thanksgiving Day and every day—while preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders.”

For more information about MBKU, visit https://ketchum.edu/.

About Marshall B. Ketchum University: Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) is an independent, private, non-profit, accredited educational institution located in Fullerton, California proudly preparing the health care leaders of the future through immersive and rigorous academic programs that teach, train and graduate tomorrow’s clinical experts. Established in 1904, more than 100 years later, MBKU today includes three primary schools: 1) Southern California College of Optometry which offers a Doctor of Optometry and a Master of Science in Vision Science degree; 2) its School of Physician Assistant Studies which awards a Master of Medical Science degree; and 3) its College of Pharmacy, that offers a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. With a nationally recognized faculty known for offering the highest level of expertise and experience in clinical education and training; a commitment to introducing students to the latest in technology, diagnosis and treatment; as well as small class sizes and a tight-knit family feel—MBKU graduates become part of a diverse and inclusive alumni group that includes some of the health care industry’s most accomplished researchers, clinicians and teachers. MBKU also provides personalized care to the communities it serves from two state-of-the-art optometry clinics offering comprehensive vision care for all ages, from infants to seniors. Its wide array of services include cornea and contact lenses, pediatric vision, ocular disease treatment and consultation, vision therapy, low vision and more. More services can be found online at the University Eye Center at Ketchum Health Anaheim and University Eye Center at Ketchum Health Los Angeles. Accessible primary care medical services are also available at its Ketchum Health Medical Clinic. To learn more about MBKU’s programs or public clinics, visit https://www.ketchum.edu/ or follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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