I did not know Mina for very long, but I do know she was an amazing surgeon. She had an impact on so many lives. She will be greatly missed. My thoughts are with her husband and family at this time. Rest In Peace Mina.

My right Arm and cosurgeon and very good friend she helped to give the gift of sight to babies born blind. God bless you Mina and comfort Eddie

Mina’s loss is one of the most tragic ones I have known, for which the only solace is that she died doing something she loved doing. Eddie, and Mina’s other family, Steve and I are devastated for you. We called Mina our adopted daughter because she used to stay with us for one week of every month for a few years when she came to Iowa to research in the Stone lab. When she stopped coming we missed her greatly, only a tiny portion of what you are all suffering. May you have comfort and solace is our prayer. She was a irreplaceable in every way.

Mina taught me to be fearless in the OR, to never take for granted someone else's opinion, and how to maintain balance while being a fierce academic. I can only hope a bit of her legacy lives on in my approach to patient care, teaching, and research.

I met Mina when she was a first year resident at Doheny/USC and I was on faculty. I was so fortunate when she agreed to become the first clinical faculty member I recruited to University of Rochester to what is now the Flaum Eye Institute. She immediately assumed the directorship of the residency training program and built the surgical retina service literally from scratch. Over the years I have admired her as the consummate physician and surgeon who had a deep love for her profession and for her patients. All of our lives have been enriched by Mina's enthusiasm, wisdom, and deep sense of caring. On a personal level, she was my friend, my confidante, and my "go to" person. What is amazing is that she shared this deep relationship with so many of us. We will miss youterribly, but your spirit lives on in our memories.

It is great sadness that I write this post!
Mina was an amazing human being.
Intelligent, Confident, Humble, Giving, Leader, Mentor. One you can count on and trust no matter what.
Had an incredible way to make very one around her “smile”
An incredible loss to the community, to Ophthalmology, and to all her friends and family.
Our thoughts and prayers for Mina, Eddie, and all her family.
You will never be forgotten!

Such a great loss to her family, patients and the Retina community. She will be missed.

A beautiful person who died on a beautiful day


Mina Chung was with Eddie, their friend Johan, and spouse on a daylong guided mountain skiing tour in Italy.
The last mountain was a lot icier than anticipated.
Johan was first to ski and made it down unscathed.
Mina was next, and she slipped and fell at the top of the trail.
The guide immediately jumped and tried to stop her but both fell down and slid down a 2000 foot mountain side.
They both sustained multitrauma injuries. Mina’s injuries were overwhelming, and she was pronounced dead at the scene when the helicopter arrived.
Eddie was trailing behind, and was able to avert going down the dangerous slope.

Mina's dad and Eddie’s brother are coming Monday.
Her body has been released to family, they have had some good help from the officials there.

Final arrangements have not been made, and the site will be updated once that information is available.

The joke earlier in the day was:
It was a beautiful day and ....
"If I had to go, this would be the way"

Eddie described Mina earlier as a “Smiling Beacon”

She was truly a Beacon of Light, and all who had the privilege of knowing her, were enriched.
She meant very much to very many, and her loss has caused a huge void in all of us.

Mina was a fierce, courageous, kind, sweet dear friend. What a devastating loss! My thoughts and prayers for Eddie and her family.

What a sad and tragic loss for her family and the entire retina field! She was true leader in IRDs and retina in general, with such a kind and warm personality. 

Staggered to hear the sad news - first met Mina when I was at B&L and worked with her on several retina projects. Met her many times over the years since. She was brilliant, such a huge and tragic loss.

Michael O’Rourke
Tampa FL

I am saddened and shocked, my dear Mina. Since I first met you at Yale Medical School, you have been a humble and wonderful friend, a bright light, and a generous soul to your patients, colleagues, and trainees. Godspeed.

Such a kind, gracious & peaceful soul. Blessed with a magnetic smile and personality you simply felt “better” having shared time with Mina. She never missed the opportunity to ask about family reminiscing about times spent in her company. She had a way of making you feel like most important person in the world at that moment.
To Eddie & Mina’s loves ones, she will be missed by all and most certainly the Fanning Family. 
Safe home dear Mina. 

An inspiring teacher, supportive colleague, and warm-hearted friend, Mina - you will be forever loved and missed. May your soul and spirit continue to mentor all of us and may we always remember and follow your path of doing what is right for our patients and humanity. From your fellowship teaching and late nights in the operating room, to high tea at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong for me and my sister, to the last 11 years as your humble partner in our retina service at the Flaum Eye Institute, I thank you for all that you have done for me, my family, and our community. Peace be with you.

So shockingly horrible. Mina, was a fantastic mentor to many of us during her two years as chief resident at LA County/USC/Doheny. As a clinician, surgeon, clinical researcher and teacher, she excelled and led by understated, humble example. She has made a big impact on many of her trainees at Doheny and Rochester.

The sadness is immense. Wishing her husband, family, friends and dear ones strength to continue on, holding strong her memory.

I am completely gutted to learn about the loss of Mina Chung. My heart goes out to Eddie and to Mina’s family. Mina and I were among the few Retina specialist who were residency program directors back in the day. She was our inaugural Robert C. Watzke Lecturer at Casey Eye Institute and presented amazing work in adaptive optics. The next day we skied fresh powder together at Timberline on Mt. Hood. The snow and the slopes betrayed her fierceness and fearlessness. I saw her happiness, heard her laughter and witnessed her adventuresome spirit. We were great friends ever since. Our world will miss her kindness, her smarts and her smiling face. I can’t believe that your gone. Godspeed, Mina.

Mina was an amazing physician, colleague and friend. We spend time together at a surgical forum and I am posting the pics to show her spirit. She will be sadly missed.

Words cannot express the sadness and shock I feel...Mina, you were such a kind and gentle soul who was beautiful both inside and outside. You always had that infectious smile on your face and made those around you feel happy and at ease. You will be missed immensely by so many people. You made the world a better place. I miss you...

Mina was a kind, caring, bright colleague and friend. I was fortunate to have know her when she was a resident. She was highly regarded by all of us at Doheny. She was an accomplished scientist, ophthalmologist and also Juilliard trained musician. She was a valued member of the Women in Retina Board. Those of us fortunate to have known her deeply mourn her loss and will miss her caring and kind spirit. May she rest in peace. 

One of the most gentle souls who was also a gifted surgeon and pianist. I will miss our dear friend immensely.

Please upload any photos you may have of Mina here

Mina was a wonderful and compassionate physician and friend. I am still in shock over her untimely passing. She will be missed by everyone she touched. We will pray for her soul. May her spirit live on.