Did you know that cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world? About 20 million people go blind because of cataracts that become progressively worse over time. This can be prevented by a simple, inexpensive operation that takes less than 15 minutes.
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and access to health care is limited. Ms. Keenan's brother, Jeremy, is an ophthalmologist at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is conducting a research study in Nepal and a part of that study offers subsidies for cataract surgeries. The surgery itself costs $60 and his study covers half of that. We have an opportunity to work with Dr. Keenan and UCSF as they attempt to decrease the amount of people affected by blindness in Nepal.
Carpenter is doing a 10 Buck Challenge with the hope that as many people as possible will bring in at least $10 to help give the gift of sight to someone halfway across the world. Every $30 we raise will give someone the gift of sight.
Providing money for cataract surgeries is a very cost effective way to donate. To begin with, it's inexpensive. Secondly, the result of the donation makes an immediate impact. The patient undergoes a quick surgery and can see within 24 hours. It's a pretty incredible way to make a real difference in someone's life.
Money will be sent to a nonprofit called That Man May See. This is the fundraising branch of the Proctor Foundation, which is a research unit at UCSF where Dr. Keenan works. The mission of the Proctor Foundation is to prevent blindness throughout the world by conducting research and educating others.
We invite you to take some time to watch the promotional video that Ms. Keenan's class created for the 10 Buck Challenge. It provides more information about how cataracts can severely impact a person's life.
