Miracles Day increases inclusive eye health impact
Stories | July 28, 2020 | Author: Jane Edge, CEO, CBM Australia
For 115 years around the world, and more than 45 years in Australia, CBM has provided impactful and sustainable support to people with disabilities living in the poorest countries.
From here in Australia, this work transforms the lives of more than five million people each year and provides valuable opportunities for people to reach their full potential.
A key element of this work is our Inclusive Eye Health initiative, developed and implemented in response to the Vision 2020 Global Declaration, which aimed to eliminate the main causes of preventable and treatable blindness by the year 2020.
Almost all [90 per cent] people who are visually impaired live in developing countries. Our commitment to inclusiveness across all of our operations means we ensure our eye health programs are accessible to people with disabilities and others who are marginalised and excluded.
CBM also works towards greater social inclusion for people with long-term vision impairments, by supporting them to access wider health and education opportunities.
In 2019, CBM worldwide provided eye screening, examination and treatment to 9.2 million people and funded 749,022 eye surgeries.
The three priorities of CBM’s Inclusive Eye Health Initiative are:
- Strengthening national eye health systems;
- Improving access to inclusive, comprehensive eye care systems; and
- Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
These priorities encompass working closely with partners to help them implement inclusive, comprehensive eye health services that are integrated into national health systems, interventions to prevent and treat avoidable blindness, and expanding access to preventative and curative services to marginalised communities experiencing endemic diseases.
Miracles Day is a critical part of our ongoing work to restore sight and transform lives in some of the poorest countries in the world including Nepal, the Philippines and Bangladesh.
This year, on Miracles Day, we are asking Australians to give a $33 “Miracle”, to fund sight-saving surgery for someone who has cataracts – a clouding of the lens which is one of the leading causes of vision impairment.
The majority of people with cataracts live in poverty and cannot access affordable eye care. However, cataracts can be surgically removed in as little as 12 minutes, with high success rates.
Joanna (pictured above), who lives in a remote island in the Philippines, was just 13 when she woke up blind from cataracts caused by Type 1 Diabetes. Her family had to make the heartbreaking choice between buying her insulin and paying for eye surgery. Joanna remained blind until CBM and its partner in the Philippines performed the surgery free of charge.
The positive impact on her life was profound. Three years after surgery, Joanna was an honour student in year 11. She inspired her mother to open a shop in front of their house, which provided the family with a reliable income. The ripple effect from Joanna’s cataract surgery was life-changing for her and her family.
Miracles like these only happen because of the generosity of our supporters, who are committed to inclusion and compassion. Their love and faith supports us to change lives every day.
A $33 donation can give the gift of sight this Miracles Day.
Learn more about Miracles Day here
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/miracles-day-increases-inclusive-eye-health-impact
Related Stories
A Light of Hope
Content Warning: The story in this letter refers to suicide, which may be distressing for some readers. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please...
Small Business, Big Impact: supporting mental health in Indonesia
Work is a big part of our lives. Not...
A Resilient Woman
Margie, a mother of seven, is a daycare worker in a small coastal village in the Philippines. A few years ago, Margie was diagnosed with a mental health condition after...