Dr. Ming Wang wants ‘Sight’ to have clear vision
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Dr. Ming Wang’s initial reaction to the suggestion his life story be turned into a movie was one of being humbly honored.
His reaction to the idea that would become the new feature film “Sight” was not as much dealing with how the movie would show his medical skills but how it would be a reminder of a gift that we all have.
“What I have been most passionate about in recent decades is to find a way to work together. We are living in such a polarized world,” Dr. Wang says. “It may take a message of someone who does not have freedom to remind us of how blessed we are to live in a country with freedom and how much we need to work together.”
Dr. Ming Wang – played by Terry Chen in the film that is now in local theaters – grew up in Communist China during a time when schools were closed. His dreams of becoming a doctor look to be over but he eventually gets to college and medical school in the United States. He used that training to become one of leading eye surgeons and innovators in America.
The film goes between flashbacks of his life in China and his decision to operate on a pair of patients where the outcome changes him as a doctor and human being. The production from Angel Studios has a message about hope and determination that ends up a story of how faith and science work together.
“I have come to realize that we need both,” Dr. Wang says. “We need science to have research to discover new ways to find new treatments to improve the quality of our lives.
“At the same time, we need to recognize as human beings we are ultimately limited. We need to be humble enough to ask for help beyond ourselves. We have to help each other and recognize our own limitations,” said Dr. Wang. “For me it is both science and Christian faith that helped me put into perspective of recognizing science is the tools and the faith for me is giving me a purpose.”
Chen – whose past work ranges from “Almost Famous” to “The 100” – had the task of playing Dr. Wang. This created the scenario where he could go directly to the source if he had any questions but also knew the person that he was portraying was watching his every move.
Chen describes that situation as being both daunting and terrifying.
“I have played some non-fiction characters in my career, but this one was special because Dr. Wang is such an esteemed individual in his field,” Chen says. “He has an incredible philanthropist history and humanitarian history.
“So, it was daunting, but I had to let that go to the wayside because there was such an important story to be told here,” said Chen.
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The story Chen was helping tell looks at how Dr. Wang attended Harvard Medical School and MIT in the 1980s. He went on to become the founding director of the internationally known, Wang Vision Institute, which provides free-of-charge sight restoration surgeries for patients who otherwise would never have the opportunity to receive them.
To date, Dr. Wang has performed more than 55,000 eye procedures in over 55 countries worldwide.
Having Dr. Wang – an executive producer for the film – on the set gave Chen the opportunity to ask personal and medical questions. He found answers to one would move directly into information about the other.
“I think those two are very much intertwined,” Chen says. “The motivations that he had immigrating to America at that time was not only one of survival and perseverance but one of transformation as well.”
The medical parts of the film deal with two complicated surgeries. His efforts with both force Dr. Wang to make big decisions in terms of how he approaches the work. Part of this is shown in the film by his being haunted by a friend from his youth in China that he lost.
Dr. Wang was not motivated by fame or fortune when agreeing to be the focus of the film. He has gained plenty of notoriety through his practice.
His biggest desire for the film is that the production will bring more attention to the Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration.
“I have learned as I grow older, going through life longer, life is not about each of us. Life is about seeing beyond ourselves,” Dr. Wang says. “We all have the opportunity to be on Earth for a few decades and I want to do what I can do as a citizen of one to make the world a better place to live.
“It is about seeing beyond ourselves to provide inspiration and helping others,” said Dr. Wang. “We need to recognize we need to use this technology to help those who need the most help.”
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