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Episode 58: The SPEC Foundation: How Independent Eye Care Professionals Can Give Back

  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read


A pair of glasses collecting dust in your stock room could be the reason someone sees clearly for the first time.

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In this episode, we are joined by April Petrusma, Chedy Kalach, and Allyson Freind, who share how the South Pacific Eye Care (SPEC) Foundation is opening the door for independent eye care professionals to give back.

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For years, meaningful eye care outreach has largely been reserved for the big corporate players. Today, we're exploring how that's changing and how independent eye care professionals can be part of it.

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Throughout the conversation, they discuss the Foundation's journey, the unique value of its dispenser-led model, the life-changing impact of accessible vision care, and how outreach transforms volunteers both professionally and personally. They also share the many ways individuals and businesses can get involved.

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If you're passionate about independent eye care and making a lasting impact, this episode will leave you inspired to be part of something bigger.

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About the Guests:


April Petrusma is the Co-Founder of SPEC Foundation and CEO of Optical Dispensers Australia (ODA). She holds a degree in visual communication design and is an experienced Optical Dispenser with a high level of expertise in optics, business management, and tertiary education. After 12 years of working in graphic design and photography, April switched and focused on a different kind of view: health care. April is now committed to professional excellence and ensuring the optical dispensing profession reaches its full potential.

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Chedy Kalach is passionate about eyecare and loves seeing the joy dispensers achieve in the profession. This passion has culminated with Chedy being co-founder of The Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD), the secretary of Optical Dispensers Australia (ODA) and co-founder of the South Pacific Eye Care Foundation (SPEC Foundation).

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Allyson Friend is Volunteer Team Leader at SPEC Foundation, board member of ODA, one of the Advisory Board at Vision Connection, and the owner of Northam Optical, recipient of ODMA 2025 Independent Practice of the Year. She has been part of the optical industry since 1998, bringing over two decades of experience in optical dispensing and small-business management. After earning her Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing in 2013, that same year, she ventured into small business ownership, demonstrating her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to independent optometry.


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Key Topics with Timestamps:

2:53 - SPEC Foundation members and their background

4:21 - How a Fiji outreach sparked the creation of SPEC Foundation

6:15 - What the SPEC Foundation actually does

9:08 - The biggest surprise after creating the foundation

10:57 - The gap that the SPEC Foundation fills

13:28 - Turning dead stock into a life-changing vision

15:48 - What makes SPEC Foundation unique from other charitable institutions

16:59 - Why a dispenser-led foundation matters

19:46 - Professional and life development beyond the practice

23:27 - Expanding the community support beyond Fiji

24:56 - The volunteer point of view of SPEC Foundation

31:42 - Practical ways you can support the foundation

36:17 - Why volunteers need to be an ODA member

39:36 - What DGR-1 status means

41:42 - The first step to getting involved with SPEC Foundation


Mentioned Resources:


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Thank you for joining us in this episode of The Focused View Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, give us a 5-Star rating, and leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify to help us reach even more eye care professionals and build a community of innovation and see new opportunities within the optical industry. Talk with you next time!


 
 
 

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