[Diabetes-talk] o/t Planterra Foundation Aids Tibetan Blind

[Mike Freeman]

This message is very definitely off-topic for this list.

(1) It doesn't concern diabetes or the NFB.

(2) NFB is not concerned with sight-saving efforts; we deal with those 
who are going blind or who are already there.

Let's all keep this list germane to either NFB or diabetes.

Thank you.

Mike Freeman, List Moderator

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "David R. Stayer" <davidandloristayer at verizon.net>
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 5:59 AM
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] o/t Planterra Foundation Aids Tibetan Blind



Planterra Foundation Aids Tibetan Blind
Published on: October 12, 2009
In recognition of World Sight Day on Oct. 8, nonprofit Planeterra 
Foundation
announced a donation drive and a video contest to assist the global 
issue of
avoidable blindness and visual impairment. The World Health Organization 
has
stated that one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce poverty is to
restore sight, and through Planeterra's efforts, a $50 donation will 
give a
patient the ability to see the world that surrounds them and change 
their
life forever. Planeterra supports eye camps in remote Tibetan villages. 
Over
the past two years Planeterra-funded camps have restored the sight of
hundreds of Tibetans and provided eye care to hundreds more. The 2009 
camp
in Chabcha this September resulted in 86 successful sight restoration
surgeries.


"Tibet has one of the highest rates of blindness in the world. Most of 
this
blindness is due to cataracts, a disease associated with aging but also
prevalent among children and the working class. Many are unable to reach 
a
hospital because of poverty and lack of transportation. With scattered
populations spread across great distances, surgical eye camps are the 
most
efficient way to treat the high rate of disease," said Richard Edwards,
Planeterra director.


Donors and tour participants make contributions each year to fund annual
sight camps in Tibet. On Sept. 26, staff and supporters of Planeterra 
and
its parent company, Gap Adventures, came out to "Take a Hike for 
Planeterra"
and raised over $3,000 towards a $10,000 goal for the 2010 eye camp. For
more details, visit www.planeterra.org/pages/world_sight_day/123.php.


To raise awareness of the gender inequity in eye care (many more girls 
and
women go untreated than do men), Planeterra's partner in sight 
solutions,
Seva Canada, has launched an online video contest, "Her Sight Is Worth 
It."
Seva Canada is asking young and aspiring filmmakers to create a short 
video
about vision impairment and gender. Planeterra is sponsoring the grand
prize, a new MacBook ($1,500 value). The three winning videos will be
screened at the World Community Film Festival in eight locations across
Canada. The top three winners will also be honored by having sight 
restored
to one girl and one woman in their name. For contest details, visit
www.seva.ca/contest.htm.


Planeterra Foundation is a global non-profit dedicated to sustainable
community development through travel. It was founded in 2003 by Gap
Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the 
world.
Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to 
finding
ways to give back to the people and places they visit. Planeterra 
selects
the projects and works with Gap Adventures to arrange voluntour travel
programs worldwide. For more information, call 416-260-0999 or visit
www.planeterra.org.


Cheryl Echevarria


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