Please donate today so we can reach children with sight restoring surgery.
Truat used to be alone, the look of sadness clear on her face. She could hear other children laughing and playing, but the cataract clouding her eye stopped her from joining them. Truat’s future was closing in – until someone like you changed everything.
We’re living in uncertain times right now and there are many things that are not in our control. But you can still control what happens for children like Truat, and for so many more like her.
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in Vietnam, and as little as $25 will restore sight to one person through a routine cataract surgery.
If we don’t reach children in time, their blindness could become permanent. Your donation will help deliver a school eye screening camp so that we can reach more Vietnamese children.
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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
When Fred first went to Vietnam only two doctors could perform modern cataract surgery. You can help train more eye surgeons by donating today.
Thanks to someone like you, we were able to reach Truat and restore her sight. A community health worker trained by The Foundation visited the village where Truat lived and told her mother that she could receive eye surgery. Truat and her mother travelled for over 300km to reach the nearest hospital for her surgery. It was the first time Truat had been in a car and one of the few times she had left her village. After her surgery, Truat was all smiles. The shy little girl was gone and the new transformed Truat high-fived her doctor when her patch was lifted. With her sight restored, she got her confidence back. Truat’s mum told us, “I just want my child to learn to read and be able to play with friends.” Truat can do all those things and more now, and it’s thanks to people like you.
Before Fred’s visit to Vietnam in 1992, modern cataract surgery was almost unheard of in the country, and almost a million marginalised people were going blind needlessly. Only two eye surgeons were trained in modern cataract surgery in all of Vietnam.
Even though Fred knew he was running out of time, he made a promise to the people of Vietnam. Although he was dying of cancer, Fred left his hospital bed and took a team of ophthalmologists to Vietnam.
Fred used to say that you have to “teach the teachers first, then the teachers can teach others.” And that’s exactly what he did. He started a training program with 12 doctors in Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi – and he promised to train 300 surgeons. Unfortunately, not long after, Fred passed away. But The Foundation delivered on his promise and trained 322 eye doctors during a seven-year period with help from caring supporters like you. Today, around 250,000 cataract surgeries are performed each year by more than 1,000 surgeons – all thanks to wonderful donors like you. The Foundation continues to help train eye health workers, provide equipment, and strengthen health systems in Vietnam. But there is still so much more to do, including achieving equity in eye health for some of the most vulnerable groups. These include ethnic minorities, remote populations, people with disabilities, and many women who are still missing out. With your help, we can realise Fred’s vision and bring the benefits of good eye health care to all of Vietnam.
“To help someone to see is a tremendous feeling.”
- Fred Hollows
Donate today to restore sight and change lives