LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 105SW
	SIGHT projects

Campaign SightFirst II

Building on a challenge back in 1925 when Helen Keller threw down the gauntlet to Lions to become "Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness" the work of Lions clubs has been synonymous with service to the blind. Lions instigated the White Cane; introduced and continued to support Guide Dog Schools; operate the majority of the worlds eye banks; provide sheltered workshops and vocational training and have built up an impressive record in sight related issues.

With millions of people suffering from blindness in the world today, Lions, internationally realised that many suffered from illnesses, conditions and problems which were generally not too difficult to treat successfully using relatively simple processes. In 1990, the International Lions 'SightFirst' project was launched with the aim of eradicating preventable and reversible blindness, but particularly in developing countries, where 90 percent of avoidable blindness exists. This Campaign raised £100 million which was used to prevent serious vision loss for 24 million; provided for 70 million treatments for river blindness; restores sight to 7 million with cataract; built or expanded 207 eye hospitals and clinics; trained 300,000 clinicians; in conjunction with World Health Organisation has agreed to establish 30 paediatric eye-care centres. Up to date more than £M95 has been spent on 800 projects across 89 countries. During the programme it has been established that the average cost of saving a child’s sight is £3 and the cost of one preventative treatment of river blindness is 25p.

With much work still to be done a second initiative, Campaign SightFirst II was launched at the Lions International Convention in Hong Kong in 2005 to raise a further £M75 to continue the programme together with a further £M25 will extend “Lions Vision for All” through rehabilitation, research and reaching out to vulnerable populations in developed countries. This programme of fund raising started in July 2006 and continues up the 2008 Convention at the end of June.

District 105SW has a goal of exceeding £60,000 which is equivalent of £45 per member. It would be fantastic if we could push that up to £70,000 (£50 pm).

At the end of the first year the District had banked £27,500 with over £3,000 in the pipeline.

As at 31 December: £35,739 from 49 clubs. This is equivalent of saving the sight of nearly 12,000 children.

For more information of the Campaign go to www.lions-csfii.org

Lions Eye Health Programme

Trying to inform over 54 million people about the threats of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and aged related macular degeneration is not easy, but that is exactly what the Lions Eye Health Programme [LEHP] is attempting to do.

As a community-based awareness-raising project, LEHP is a Lions Clubs International sight saving initiative. The programme, a partnership between the Lions Clubs of the British Isles and Ireland, the International Glaucoma Association, The Macular Disease Society and Diabetes UK, is funded from monies raise by Campaign SightFirst was launched with clubs in Britain and Ireland in 1999. There are now about 500 clubs actively instituting the campaign through its volunteer members.

At club level, pamphlets, posters, and video and live presentations are used to inform people about the many eye conditions and the need for regular eye checks. Since Lions Clubs play an active role in almost every community, LEHP material is often found in libraries, shopping centres, GP surgeries, hospitals and high street opticians.

At a country-wide level, LEHP attempts to implement ideas that are far-reaching and will affect the public at large. To date, the LEHP videos have been aired on SKY TV's Community Channel, and two Keep Your Eye On The Ball posters featuring tennis and golf respectively have been distributed to member sport clubs by the Lawn Tennis Association and the English Golf Union.

See more on www.lehp.org.uk

Lions Sightsavers

Lions and Sightsavers International began working together to combat avoidable blindness in the 1970’s. At first Lions supported surgical eye camps, but in the late 1990’s the camps were replaced with more integrated services (which linked up eye treatment, education and rehabilitation for people whose blindness could not be cured and this has become known as Comprehensive Eye Services (CES). In 2006 (the latest figures available) Lions supported very actively two Eye Care Projects in India and over 70,000 patients were examined resulting in treatment for 47,000 including 10,000 cataract operations and 12,000 prescribed spectacles. Clubs are encouraged to donate £250 towards the cost of the CES programme and continue to be awarded an EYE CAMP banner patch on a cumulative basis.

See more of Sightsavers International work on www.sightsavers.org

Spectacle Collections

Spectacle Collections are currently organised by Chichester Lions only. PARCEL FORCE will collect FREE OF CHARGE from any town in the UK and deliver them to the Chichester Lions collection point. To find out how to send spectacles to Chichester Lions - click this link.

Spectacles are processed by Chichester Lions club members and other volunteers in their workshop. They use their considerable experience to select the items that are suitable for recycling and to sort them in preparation for onward transmission to Medico France in Le Havre. Medico France have the necessary equipment to clean and grade the spectacles ready for use in eye camps in Africa, India and Eastern Europe. To find out more about Chichester Lions processing of Spectacles - click this link.

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