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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 03, 2025 | The Indian Eye 26

A WORLD WITHOUT CHILDHOOD BLINDNESS:

Hope for Tomorrow – A Fundraiser for The Eye

Foundation of America Planned in New Delhi

AJAY GHOSH

n response to this noble call, Grant Thornton,
The Rotary Club District - 311 (Delhi) in col-
Ilaboration with the Young Rotarians, who are
truly committed, and the Gautami Institute have
joined hands with the Eye Foundation of Ameri-
ca to organize a major Fundraiser with the theme,
“Hope for Tomorrow” at the prestigious India Hab-
itat Centre, New Delhi on Friday, January 31, 2025.
“Every child deserves to see the world with
clarity and purpose. Let’s join hands to eradicate
childhood blindness and unlock a brighter future
for generations to come,” says Dr. Vadrevu K.
Raju, a world-renowned ophthalmologist, philan-
thropist, and the founder of the Eye Foundation of
America (EFA).
Among the many initiatives Dr. Raju has un-
dertaken, the upcoming Fundraiser in New Delhi
is a pan-India Roll Out Program with the objective
of raising $500,000, which will be matched by the
Eye Foundation of America. The funds raised will
be utilized towards establishing 100 ROP screen-
ing centers across India; Training 500 healthcare
professionals in ROP screening and treatment;
and, Treating 10,000 ROP-affected babies annual- vacation to combat avoidable blindness among
ly across India. Indians, especially children. He founded “Eye
Lord Rami Ranger, a well-known philanthro- Foundation of America” in 1979, which is active
pist, and successful businessman from the Unit- in India and 31 other developing countries across
ed Kingdom, who will be the Chief Guest at the the globe.
Fundraiser, while echoing the mission of EFA says, A Faculty of the Department of Ophthalmolo-
“Childhood blindness is a solvable problem, but it gy at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Raju believes
requires our collective action.” According to Lord that Retinopathy can cause blindness; however,
Ranger, a Board Member of the Eye Foundation early detection and treatment can prevent blind-
of America and Eye Foundation of UK, who has ness in up to 90% of cases. The EFA is now a global
been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen on organization, whose noble initiatives have resulted
Eight occasions for his Business leadership in and in screening and treating a total of over 3.5+ mil-
for community services, “Together, we can ensure lion people in addition to one million school chil-
that every child has access to quality eye care and a dren, and the mission continues to impact many
chance to reach their full potential.” more every day around the world. EFA has per-
Dr. Raju, a physician with a noble vision, who formed hundreds of thousands of surgeries, and
has dedicated his entire life to helping make “the trained hundreds of eye care professionals to join
world where every child can see, learn, and thrive in the global fight against preventable blindness. This is accomplished through eye camps and
without the shadows of blindness,” while referring Born in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, In- brick-and-mortar hospitals in developing coun-
to scientific studies says, “Retinopathy of Prema- dia, Dr. V.K. Raju is a Clinical Professor of Oph- tries, training of medical personnel to serve the
turity (ROP) affects 200,000 premature babies in thalmology at West Virginia University, Fellow needy, and educating the population at large on
India annually, leading to irreversible blindness.” of the Royal College of Surgeons, Fellow of the preventative eye care and healthy lifestyle choices.
According to the South Indian Journal of American College of Surgeons, Director of the With adequate education, patients are empowered
Ophthalmology, of the 3.5 million premature ba- International Ocular Surface Society, Director to take charge of their lives and their own health
bies born in India, nearly one in six (600,000) ba- of the Ocular Surface Research and Education and prevent further deleterious consequences
bies are born less than 32 weeks gestational age. Foundation, Chairman of Goutami Eye Institute of their poor lifestyle choices, while sharing this
Estimating that 40% of them receive neonatal care in Rajahmundry and is the President and Founder knowledge with their friends and families.
and 80% of them survive, over 200,000 chilkdren of the Eye Foundation of America, a non-profit or- The public is educated on eye care and injury
are at risk for developing Retinopathy of Prema- ganization dedicated to realizing a world without prevention, and local teachers are taught how to
turity. childhood blindness. Dr. Raju earned his medical screen for early eye problems in children. Patients,
Dr. Raju, who has lived in England and the degree from Andhra University and completed their families, and the greater community benefit
USA longer than in India, has visited India more an ophthalmology residency and fellowship at the from preventative medical care, free procedures,
than 140 times since 1977. Each visit is a working Royal Eye Group of Hospitals in London. and access to education.

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