An enlightening project of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga DARKNESS TO LIGHT An enlightening project of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga

Once upon a time … An ophthomalogist and physician named Dr Alok Sharma joined our Club with a dream …. And he took our Club along for this amazing journey … And this is what he taught us …

World Blindness : The Facts An estimated 37 million people are blind worldwide. Every year, an additional 1-2 million people go blind. 75% of this blindness is treatable and/or preventable. 90% of the blind live in the poorest section of the developing world. Without proper interventions the number of blind will increase to 75 million by 2020. Restoration of sight is one of the most cost-effective interventions in health care.

Every 5 seconds one person in our world goes blind Every 5 seconds one person in our world goes blind... and a child goes blind every minute.

And the villian is … Cataract is the most common cause of preventable blindness in the world. It accounts for 18 million blind people who need not be blind. 9 million people affected by cataracts live in India.

Darkness to Light Eye Camp The Project Darkness to Light Eye Camp The first camp held in India in 2005 Partnered with the Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar - Riviera in India.

The long road to India Connecting with the district hospital in India for permission to perform surgery. Connecting with the regional medical college for assistance with staff. Organising the travel arrangements.

Getting the Word Out!

Ajoy Joshi PHF - Nilgiris Restaurant, Sydney; ‘Food Safari’ SBS Meanwhile back in Australia … Ajoy Joshi PHF - Nilgiris Restaurant, Sydney; ‘Food Safari’ SBS

A true hero of this story Ajoy’s donation to this project in the past 6 years exceeds $50,000. Our club awarded him a Paul Harris Fellow in 2007.

2005 Camp President Philip Cross meets members of Rotary Club Yamuna Nagar – Riviera before the camp.

And they came …

2000 patients 250 cataract operations Distribution of 250 pairs of glasses 1100 patients treated with medication

Dr Sharma performs cataract surgery

The operating theatre

Post-op Ward

2007 Camp

And they came again …

200 cataract operations Distribution of 500 pairs of glasses 2000 patients treated with medication

Rotarians at Work

Dr Phil EFGH aka PP Philip Cross Dr Will ABCD aka PP Will Blackwell Dr Phil EFGH aka PP Philip Cross

And the REAL doctor – Dr Leone Harvey-Smith

Post-op care packages distributed Pre-op comfort Post-op care packages distributed

The Global Financial Crisis hits the world …

2010 Project

500 children screened for dental and eye disease in India 100 children were given glasses

And on a local level… Our Club donates two Surgistools to the eye theatre at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital – cost $5500

The stools allow surgeons to operate at any angle for longer amounts of time.

2011 Camp

The Indian Dinner raised over $30,000 Her Excellency, the High Commissioner of India in Australia, Mrs Singh. The Indian Dinner raised over $30,000

?

The future … Provide computer for trial of adaptive software to help people with all age groups with visual disability. Provide for Social Activity Day for children who are blind or vision impaired and their families. Continue to run eye camps wherever they are needed.

Want to know more? www.waggarotary.org Watch this space for the next exciting adventure of … DARKNESS TO LIGHT Want to know more? www.waggarotary.org