What is Campaign SightFirst?
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 around 42 million 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, hopefully by the early part of the twenty
first century.
Many millions of pounds have been pledged to run a variety of
campaigns under the SightFirst banner and already many thousands
of people, particularly in third world countries will not face
the prospect of living in a world of darkness.
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