Page 22 - The Indian EYE 021425

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 14, 2025 | The Indian Eye 22

The Eye Foundation of America Raises

Over USD 1 MILLION During Fundraiser To

End Childhood Blindness In India

OUR BUREAU
New York, NY
I
was born in a rural village in In-
dia, poor and legally blind, with
no opportunity to exist,” Sam
Maddula, Pharm.D., a distinguished
leader, visionary entrepreneur, and
dedicated philanthropist, said. Sam
went on to add, how his life turned
from darkness to light as his parents
stumbled upon an Eye Camp that the
Eye Foundation of America had set
up in 1987 in rural Andhra Pradesh.
“It is this organization that rescued
me from a life of darkness. The Eye
Foundation of America helped me
get a visa to the United States. The
esteemed Dr. VK Raju himself, per-
formed dual corneal transplant sur-
gery on me two weeks after my second
birthday in the United States. He did
it, working with the Eye Foundation
for free. He cured me just like that, ing over a $ 1 Million US Dollars. In ceive neonatal care and 80% of them Ranger, a Board Member of the Eye
with the magic of his hands. I could addition, Sam Maddula offered to survive, over 200,000 children are at Foundation of America and Eye
see my life went from literal darkness match two times, the funds that were risk for developing Retinopathy of Foundation of UK, who has been
to pure sunlight.” raised on January 31st, adding the Prematurity (ROP), Dr. Raju point- honored by Her Majesty the Queen
Sam shared his life story with total amount raised at the fundraiser ed out. on Eight occasions for his Business
the audience during a Fund Raiser even more. Dr. Raju has dedicated his en- leadership in and for community ser-
organized by The Eye Foundation Dr. Raju promised that the funds tire life to helping make “the world vices, “Together, we can ensure that
of America, Grant Thornton, the raised will be utilized towards estab- where every child can see, learn, and every child has access to quality eye
Gautami Institute, The Rotary Club lishing 100 ROP screening centers thrive without the shadows of blind- care and a chance to reach their full
District – 3011 (Delhi) in collabora- across India, training 500 healthcare ness.” Describing it as “God’s work” potential.”
tion with the Young Rotarians, with professionals in Retinopathy of Pre- that he and the Eye Foundation are Dr. Leela Raju, an Organizing
the theme, “Hope for Tomorrow” at maturity (ROP) screening and treat- doing, Dr. Raju urged “everyone to Chair of the event, delivered the
the prestigious India Habitat Centre, ment, and Treating 10,000 ROP-af- join in the mission to eradicate child- welcome address. The chief guest at
New Delhi on Friday, January 31, fected babies annually across India. hood blindness, a tragedy, we can the event was Dr Radhika Tandon,
2025. Offering an overview of child- prevent it. Every child deserves to see Chairperson of Retinopathy of Pre-
This life-changing miracle is one hood blindness and its impact on the world with clarity and purpose. maturity Center, who delivered the
of the millions of Eye Surgeries that children, Dr. Raju told an enthusi- Let’s join hands to eradicate child- keynote address. Richa Jain Kallra, a
The Eye Foundation of America, astic audience, who had come from hood blindness and unlock a bright- TV News Anchor & Host eloquently
led by the legendary Dr. Vadrevu K. across India and the United States to er future for generations to come. emceed the event.
Raju, a world-renowned ophthalmol- support the noble cause, that child- Today, we make a new beginning in In her welcome address, Dr.
ogist, philanthropist, and the found- hood blindness has far-reaching our concerted efforts to prevent and Leela Raju stressed the importance
er of the Eye Foundation of America consequences. Three-fourths of the eradicate childhood blindness with of ensuring that more people know
(EFA) and the Eye Foundation of children with visual impairment nev- the resources and the modern tech- about the causes and the means to re-
UK, Chairman of Goutami Eye Insti- er attend school. Blindness reduces nology that are available today,” Dr. duce childhood blindness and eradi-
tute has done in the past half a centu- employability by 50%. Blindness in- Raju said. cate it. Dr. Leela Raju stated that the
ry, transforming the lives of millions creases poverty and social isolation. Lord Rami Ranger, a well- discussions today focused on “not
of children, who are born every year According to the South Indian Jour- known philanthropist, and successful just glaucoma, but cornea and pedi-
with vision impairment. nal of Ophthalmology, of the 3.5 mil- businessman from the United King- atric ophthalmology. And of course,
The Fund Raiser, a pan-India lion premature babies born in India, dom, while echoing the mission of regarding retinopathy and prematu-
Roll-out Program helped raise over nearly one in six (600,000) babies are EFA said, “Childhood blindness is a rity, which is our real push in both
$500,000, which was matched by the born less than 32 weeks gestational solvable problem, but it requires our Delhi and around India to reduce
Eye Foundation of America, total- age. Estimating that 40% of them re- collective action.” According to Lord the burden of childhood blindness.”

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