Barbara Wirostko, MD, FARVO, is a glau­coma clinician-researcher and Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology and Bio­medical Engineering at the University of Utah, Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City. Outside of her ophthalmological work, she runs a national nonprofit charity supporting young adults with dyslexia who are pursuing careers in science, tech­nology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In this Q&A, Wirostko shares how personal loss led her to create a foundation that has transformed hundreds of lives.

How did you get into this work? I did not “choose” to do this work—it essentially evolved out of need. In 2014, our son, Joseph James, died suddenly in a car crash. He was a junior at Montana State University (MSU), studying mechanical engineer­ing. We asked our community to donate in lieu of spending money on flowers. What began as a local grassroots effort has turned into a national volun­teer nonprofit, the Joseph James Morelli Legacy Foundation. Over 11 years, we have awarded close to $900,000 in 496 scholarships across 44 states.

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