Restore sight to people like Sok.
Sok’s parents had watched their son go blind with no means to help him despite doing all they could to help him. Sok had become heavily dependent on his mother and required her assistance with most tasks. It's a heartbreaking experience that no family should have to endure. By taking action to prevent and treat childhood blindness, we can make sure that that every child has the chance to see the world with bright and hopeful eyes.
Right now, in Cambodia, more than 200,000 people are waiting for cataract surgery. Many are children like Sok. Cambodia does not have free, universal access to health care services, including eye health. Every day that goes by without the necessary treatment, more children and adults risk losing their sight permanently.
Globally, around 1.4 million children are blind, yet half of these cases can be prevented. Three-quarters of the world’s children who are blind live in the poorest regions of Africa and Asia, where the prevalence is high, and the child population is large. These regions are most affected by risk factors for blindness – such as measles, vitamin A deficiency, and cerebral malaria—because eye health services are inadequate or lacking in many poorer countries.
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Clementine was just one of those people facing this scenario: she was desperate to help her son, but the village where they live is hours from the nearest hospital. Travelling is really not an option for people in her situation.
Without outreach programs like the ones run by The Fred Hollows Foundation, finding help would have been very difficult. But a community health worker visited the area where Eric lives, and contacted Dr Ciku Mathenge, a leading eye surgeon who has restored sight to thousands of people
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in Cambodia, with around 80% of vision loss resulting from cataract. However, only 50% of these cases can be treated due to Cambodia’s under-resourced health system. For every $1 USD invested into cataract surgery there is a return of $20 in economic benefits This significant investment is one of the reasons The Foundation is working hard to increase the number of cataract surgeries we perform each year.
In Cambodia, a majority of the population lives in rural areas, with many of the population living in poverty. This means that most of the population is located away from eye care services, where it is nearly impossible to travel, especially with little to no money available for transport. It is essential that eye services are taken directly to the remote regions of Cambodia, where people would remain blind without the support of The Foundation.
When he wasn't at school 10-year-old Sok sat by the road in the heat while his mother worked as a street cleaner. Just as all seemed lost, Chea La met Dr Titsarat who told her to take Sok to a hospital 230km away. He explained that kind supporters of The Foundation would pay for transport and eye surgery, but Sok had to go urgently. If treatment for cataract is delayed, a child's brain may never learn to read signals from their eyes. This happens when a child's brain development is mostly done, usually by age 10, and they have poor vision. The ophthalmologists who were performing the surgery had been trained by The Foundation. "I put my belief in the skilful eye doctors," Chea La said hopefully. The next day, there was a tense wait as Sok recovered from surgery. Chea La watched anxiously when the patches were finally lifted from his eyes. He opened his eyes and smiled at his mother. Chea La was so relieved and thankful. She had worried about Sok all his life, and now, thanks to supporters like you, his sight was restored! "I am so delighted when I see my son has a clear vision," Chea La said. "I am so happy he can see me, his dad, his siblings, and the huge world clearly." Sok's future looks so different now, and he dreams of becoming a teacher to help other children like him.
Fred Hollows lived by the motto "leave the world a better place," and he worked tirelessly to make that a reality. The Foundation takes pride in its achievements, from training future eye doctors to strengthening local eye health systems. But all of this would not be possible without the support of everyday Australians like yourself who believe in a world where everyone has the basic human right to good sight. However, there's still much work to be done. We need well-trained staff, increased awareness about eye health, and better infrastructure and equipment. Training is a top priority because people are the heart of our mission. Fred may no longer be with us, but your support keeps his vision alive and well. In Cambodia, 200,000 people are urgently waiting for cataract surgery. Like Fred, we won't stop until we reach them. Thank you for sharing Fred's belief that everyone, no matter where they live, should have access to quality eye care. Together, we can continue to make the world a better place.
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