It is never too early to begin preparing when facing a vision-related challenge. When Malia Thibado received her CCTV on 10/16/09, she was a preschooler able to identify colors and letters, but not yet reading. The training conducted at the Sight Savers America office was first given to her mother, then Malia under her mother’s supervision. She has since started school and is quickly learning phonics and to read.
Emily and Sarah are sisters who share the same vision issues that introduced them to Sight Savers. They also share a CCTV that is very helpful to both girls with their homework and for reading books from the public library that are not enlarged print.
Before she started using the CCTV, Angel was making only passing grades in kindergarten. After she began using it, Angel performed much better in school. The CCTV reduced eye strain, causing less frustration.
Liam White was already a gifted student when he received a computer with JAWS (Job Access With Speech) software on 6/18/2008. In the second grade he was reading all Braille on a fourth grade level. Liam won a Braille competition and went to California to compete on a higher level. He is the only child in Alabama to ever win this opportunity.
Christian uses his CCTV every day. He struggled more in school before getting a CCTV. The CCTV made it easier for his sister and him to do independent reading and research, which was important because he had no access to equipment at school.
Mason is a typical boy, with the exception of having low vision and a prosthetic eye, which caused some problems with reading. To assist him, Mason received a 6×16 monocular telescope, a compact portable magnifier and glasses.
Shelby has Stargardts’s disease. In addition to glasses, it was recommended that she use a CCTV. Shelby was provided a CCTV by Sight Savers America. She was very excited to receive it and quickly learned to use it.
Christian was born at 24 weeks and is a twin to brother, Bryce. He received a CCTV that he uses daily to assist with school work and for personal enjoyment.
Josh and Zachery are brothers and both have albinism and low vision. They received a CCTV and large print books and magnifiers also aid the boys with their school work.
The CCTV that Christopher Blake received was another important aid that empowered the then fourth grader.
Based on a doctor’s recommendation, Sight Savers purchased Adran Delain a CCTV and other vision aids in 2007. This equipment dramatically improved Adran’s education, social development, his self esteem and motivation. Adran’s mom informed Sight Savers, “being able to see more things, has built his self esteem so much that he went on a diet and lost about 80 lbs. He is studying for the ACT test, and he bought the study guide with his birthday money.”
The CCTV Simon received was useful with completing home schooling studies and also reading cooking instructions, which promotes his independence.
Hannah is gaining independence through the use of a CCTV, a book stand and magnifier at home. Having access to aids both at home and school kept her on path toward academic success.
At a time when most young people are excitedly planning their futures, a disease was causing Charlie Johnston’s vision to fail. He was not deterred in his goal to complete his education. Charlie’s CCTV was delivered on 4/1/2003 and was useful in his preparation for studies at Shelton Sate Junior College and later, the University of North Alabama.
Dana was almost nine years old when she received her CCTV. She used it daily to help with homework, which made it easier to remain on the honor roll.
14,474 Alabama school children received comprehensive health screenings this fall. Read more about how the SSA KidCheck Program is changing lives.
Hi Jeff,
I wanted to express our appreciation to Sight Savers America for providing 5 legally blind kids with a Multiview video magnifier system. It was a wonderful event, and your team did a marvelous job of training the kids and coordinating the event. The kids were ecstatic and our faculty were proud to be part of such a great program. Your passion for what you do is amazing, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be your Houston partners.
The partnership between UEI Center for Sight Enhancement, Optelec, and Sight Savers America is a great one and we look forward to building on this year’s success. As you know, TV reporters from Telemundo and Fox 26 news covered the event. Fox 26 played the piece in their 9 pm slot last night, and the reporter is the new weekend anchor, Rita Garcia. http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/111213-uh-helps-legally-blind-patients-find-new-vision. Shawn Lindsey from UH also did a video story that will air later.
Special thanks to Lisa Merkl, from the office of University Communication, Linda from Sight Savers, and Courtney from Optelec for writing up the press release and generating media interest.
Thank you again for your generosity and support. Will look forward to the next time.
Best wishes for the holiday season,
Stan
Stanley Woo, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.
Director, UEI Center for Sight Enhancement
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Houston College of Optometry
713-743-0799
Best selling children’s writer Jeff Kinney, author of the Wimpy the Kid series of books and movies has named Sight Savers America his “Charity of Choice,” a designation which prompted Google to donate funds to be used for the purchase of low vision aids.
Kinney learned about Sight Savers through a newspaper article and a precocious kid named Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is a 4th grader from Huntsville, Alabama, who like millions of other young readers loves Jeff Kinney and his unlikely hero, Wimpy the Kid. However, unlike most Wimpy fans, Brooklyn lives with the challenges of low vision due to a congenital optic nerve disease. She can’t read her favorite books or do most of the things kids her age take for granted. That was the situation until a couple of years ago when Sight Savers America stepped in to present Brooklyn with a wonderful new vision aid, a Closed Circuit Television Magnifier (CCTV) which enlarges objects up to 75 times.
After training on the CCTV, Brooklyn was quoted in her hometown newspaper, The Huntsville Times, as saying she was most looking forward to using it to read her favorite Wimpy the Kids books. It didn’t take author Jeff Kinney long to hear about Brooklyn’s story.
“I have a Google alert,” said Kinney, so that’s how I saw the story. After I read it, I was very moved by it. I wanted to send her some signed books. The problem was how to find her? I called the newspaper,” Kinney continued, “and they gave me her parents’ name.
With that information in hand, and a little bit of investigative work through Facebook, Kinney had the information he needed. When her phone rang just one day after the article appeared, a very surprised Brooklyn found her favorite author himself on the other end of the line. Kinney thanked her and told her that he was honored she was reading his books.
That initial phone call was just the beginning. Kinney was soon to learn how very much CCTV’s change children’s lives. During a recent book signing tour in Birmingham the author and his self proclaimed number one fan got to meet face to face. Kinney even invited this precocious ten year old to share the stage with him at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. Without hesitation, Brooklyn took her place at the podium to tell the audience all about her CCTV, Sight Savers and how this new equipment has changed her life. She also encouraged other kids to read and become writers because “writing books is really cool.”
“I was very touched,” Kinney said. “I didn’t even know equipment like what Sight Savers provides was out there.”
Since that time Kinney has kept in touch with Sight Savers’ kids, even donating his books on tape to a little boy who had lost his vision.
Free vision screenings for over 200 students and free high-tech vision aids for two fifth graders
College Park –November 15 – “This is so awesome!” said Stevie. I can read a whole sentence at a time. I’ve never been able to do that before” The fifth grade Mimosa Elementary School student had been just introduced to his new high tech vision aid, a Closed Circuit Television Magnifier (CCTV). The device can magnify objects up to 79 times their normal sizes, a feature which will allow Stevie to see clearly for the first time things he never dreamed possible.
Stevie is all smiles after learning to use his new CCTV.
“This is really cool!” For Stevie, who suffers severe vision loss, this state of the art vision aid will change his life. Stevie was one of two children to receive a new CCTV at an event at S.L. Lewis School on November 15. Sylvester, fifth grader at Brookview Elementary also received the equipment. “Wow,” said the youngster as he examined the veins of a leaf through the new magnifier. Sylvester’s Dad said he had known for a long time that his son couldn’t see very well.“He’d hold a book right up to his face and get as close to the TV as possible to see a program.” Jeff Haddox, Sight Savers President/CEO, stated “It is our goal to provide life changing vision aids to under served visually impaired children. Like these students here this morning, many children with severe vision loss can have their vision greatly enhanced by placing high tech vision aids in their homes.”
Sylvester listens carefully as Sight Savers' Margie Haddox explains his new CCTV.
However, this equipment is costly and it is not covered by insurance. That’s where Sight Savers steps in. Working with the Sight Savers staff, teachers of the visually impaired in the Fulton County School System referred these two students who will greatly benefit by having these vision aids in their homes. Sight Savers staff trained the two fifth graders and their families on how to use the equipment. After training, the children took the equipment home with them to keep. Sight Savers will now provide extensive follow-up services to the children and their families. “We value lasting relationships with the kids we help,” said Haddox, “therefore, we have an extensive follow-up program, checking in with them until the child’s 19th birthday. Our goal is to help these children make the most of their remaining vision, regain their childhood independence, and improve their quality of life.”
Project 20/20 also vision screened over 200 third and fifth graders as part of this program. Every child who failed the screening, as well as nine previous vision screenings in the Fulton County School System, will be contacted and provided follow-up eye care services by Sight Savers Case Managers. The Sight Savers follow-up protocol includes parental notification and education, the coordination of eye exams, prescription eyeglasses, medications and other prescribed treatment, which may even extend to eye surgery, all at no cost to the families. The Katz Foundation and Sight Savers America provided funds for this vision health program.
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