Give the Gift of Sight to the poor in India

People tend to focus on numbers when they first learn about Aravind, and admittedly, the numbers are impressive. Since Aravind was founded in 1976, we’ve seen nearly 80 million patients and performed 10 million sight-giving surgeries and procedures. More than half free or heavily subsidized. Our Ring of Hope program, now nearly 20 years old, has provided free cancer care to nearly 1000 patients.

But behind every number is a person and a story about their struggle with needless blindness and how it affects their life and the lives of their family and community. And, everyone at Aravind knows that. It is what keeps us striving to do better and make your donations go as far as we can.

One such person is Challa. Her parents noticed a protrusion in her eye and took her to the Aravind hospital in Madurai. She was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, an eye cancer that is almost completely curable in the US, but is often fatal in India, because of late diagnosis. Her parents are very poor and couldn't have paid for treatment, but thanks to your generosity, she's had surgery and chemotherapy, completely free of cost. She will receive check-ups and new prosthetic eyes as she grows, also free, until she is an adult.  

You have given the gift of sight to so many patients like Challa. Thank you for your generosity and for your support of Aravind’s mission to eliminate needless blindness.

 Wishing you a very happy Diwali!  

Donna Campbell, Executive Director

"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 Systems