By Donna Campbell | Executive Director
Ratheesh was four years old when he was diagnosed with eye cancer. His father is a daily wage laborer who earns very little and definitely not enough to pay for his son’s surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. To make matters worse, while Ratheesh was undergoing treatment, the cyclone Gaja ravaged the northern districts of Tamil Nadu. His village was among the worst hit, and the family lost their house, along with most of their belongings. Aravind provided Ratheesh’s treatment free of cost and also helped the family get back on their feet with relief support.
None of this would be possible without the help of friends like you – you are the Ring of Hope that surrounds our patients and their families. This past year Aravind treated 35 new patients with retinoblastoma and provided 707 follow-up visits for existing patients. Since we started the Ring of Hope program, you have helped to save the sight and lives of 558 patients and to provide 8,687 follow-up visits. Thank you!
I will be travelling to India in March and meeting some of the many patients whom you have helped. I look forward to sharing their stories with you in future reports. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email me at donnacampbell@aravind.org. I would love to hear from you!
In gratitude,
Donna Campbell, Executive Director
P.S. Please tell your friends and family about the great work YOU are doing. Tweet about us @AravindEye or follow us on Facebook @AravindEyeFoundation.
"Intelligence and Capability are not enough. There must be the joy of doing something beautiful."
From the journals of Dr. G. Venkataswamy, founder of Aravind Eye Care System
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