Lions World Sight Day Aims to Educate Millions Worldwide
Basseterre, October 11, 2018 -- The World Health Organization has estimatedthat the number of blind people in the world could double in the next 25 years. To combat the leading causes of blindness and assist in preserving vision, the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club participated in Lions World Sight Day on Thursday October 11, 2018 to heighten awareness and education about sight preservation and preventable blindness.
The St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club in collaboration with Eyecare Express joined in this global event by providing free Eye Screening to Grade 5 and 6 students of the Tucker Clarke Primary School in Newtown, Basseterre, St. Kitts. Approximately ninety-two (92) students were screened by Dr. Jose-Ann Cochrane and her staff. Forty-two (42) of these students need to follow up with an office visit. Special thanks go out to Eyecare Express for their continued support in protecting the nations' sight.
“On Lions World Sight Day, the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions is working in unison with Lions clubs around the world to educate millions of people on the importance of proper Eye Health Care.” In the United States, approximately 750,000 people are blind and an additional
50,000 more will become blind each year, according to the National Federation of the Blind. Like most developed countries, glaucoma and diabetes are the leading causes of blindness in the United States.
On a worldwide scale, an estimated 75 percent of all blindness is found in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization. In Africa, there are an estimated 500,000 new cases of cataracts each year, of which only one in ten is operated upon. In India, 80 percent of the blind suffer from cataracts, with more than 3.8 million new cases reported each year.
Since the club’s chartering in 1979 its members have worked on a variety of projects in the local community, including Diabetes Awareness, Sight Conservation & Eye Care, Children Fun Day, Accessible Sidewalks/Ramps, JNF Kiddies Park, among others. Proceeds from Fundraising Events go to various Charities, Scholarships and other causes to which the club contributes.
The Club also took out members of the St. Kitts Society for the Blind, to an outing at Frigate Bay Beach on Saturday October 13, 2018. Seventeen (17) members of the Society participated in this project. It was a fun filled day with good conversation, dominoes and lots to eat and drink. The President of the Society, Mr. Rockliffe Bowen said, “he was happy the Society was included. The Lions Club and the St. Kitts Society for the Blind had collaborated on many projects over the years. In recent times he can recall that the Society and members were the recipients of White Canes and Brail Material from the Lions Club."
The St. Kitts (Basseterre) Lions Club has 37 members and meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the University Centre, Fortlands. Lions clubs are a group of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information about the Club, to assist in projects or gain assistance, email Adora Warner at SKBLIONS@yahoogroups.com or visit Lions Clubs International, lionsclubs.org.
Lions World Sight Day is a global vision initiative sponsored by Lions Clubs International and Lions Clubs International Foundation. The event is held annually on the second Thursday of October in an effort to raise awareness about sight-related issues. Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.
For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org.
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