Double your impact with a donation to our Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) project in India this Giving Tuesday – Nov. 28, 2023.
As the holiday season unfolds and black Friday and Cyber Monday sales prevail, Giving Tuesday harnesses the power of mass selfless giving to create profound impact. It’s a global movement that turns the spirit of philanthropy into meaningful action, uplifts communities and affects positive change in the world.
Your participation, whether through a heartfelt donation, the gift of your time, or the simple act of spreading awareness, has the power to transform lives.
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is one of the leading causes of vision loss in children, and preterm infants are at high risk of developing this blinding condition. ROP occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow and spread throughout the retina, the tissue that lines the back of the eye. These abnormal blood vessels are fragile and can leak, which can scar the retina and pull it out of position. This causes a retinal detachment and visual impairment.
To save a child’s sight, early detection and treatment of ROP are critical.
Together, with the generous support of our donors, we are working with partner hospitals like C.L. Gupta Eye Institute (CLGEI), located in Moradabad city, Uttar Pradesh, India, to generate awareness about the condition and provide remote diagnosis and referral services for at-risk infants and their families throughout the country.
This Giving Tuesday, you can double your impact when you give to our ROP project in India and support someone like Shabana and her baby son, Aarsh.
When Shabana and her husband first learned their baby could have ROP, they were fearful of the treatment process and refused to have Aarsh screened in the neonatal intensive care unit. Fortunately, the team at CLGEI persisted with continuous follow-up phone calls and messages until, finally, Aarsh’s parents agreed to bring the little boy, then six weeks old, in for screening – and thankfully so. Aarsh’s retinal images revealed that he had ROP in both eyes and required urgent treatment to prevent lifelong blindness.
Aarsh’s treatment involved multiple visits consisting of drug injections, laser treatment and plenty of follow-up. His parents were diligent about keeping their appointments, even though it meant that his father had to close his shop so they could travel to the hospital. They were thankful that Aarsh’s treatment was provided free of charge thanks to support from donors like you.
Today, Aarsh is doing great. His vision is good, and he is able to watch cartoons and play with his big brother and sister. “Aarsh’s bright eyes now reflect a world of possibilities, and his story motivates us to continue our mission of bringing vision and hope to every child in need,” says Lokesh Chauhan, Deputy General Manager at CLGEI. Read more about Aarsh’s story here.
Double your impact this Giving Tuesday and help even more people like baby Aarsh.
Please donate to this essential project and have your gift matched, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000.
Thank you in advance for your support!
For All The World To See.
