On October 5, local families gathered at White-Wilson Medical Center for the I Can See Now vision clinic which provided six local children with life-changing vision equipment. Each child suffers from conditions that greatly diminish their vision. With the help of Electronic Video Magnifiers (EVM), these children can now see things they have never been able to see before.
The high-tech equipment was made possible through a $10,000 grant from White-Wilson Community Foundation (WWCF) and partnership with Sight Savers America. The equipment, training and maintenance services were provided with no cost to the families.
“The strength of this unique collaboration lies in partnering with organizations with similar missions that allow all of us to fulfill our shared goal of helping children achieve the best vision services possible,” said Sight Savers America President and CEO, Jeff Haddox. “For these kids, having the multi-view electronic magnifiers in their homes will level the playing field. They will maximize the use of their remaining vision and be able to succeed in school and achieve their independence.”
Electronic Magnifiers enlarge an image up to 80 times its original size, allowing children to see things that were once impossible. The equipment can be used for school work, reading, drawing, hygiene and even identifying faces of their loved ones.
“Seeing the excitement on each child’s face was a true joy,” said WWCF President Dr. Jack Azzaretto. “The mission of the White-Wilson Community Foundation is to improve the health of our community members; and that is exactly what we were able to do for these families through this program.”
The White-Wilson Community Foundation serves health needs of community members in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties. The non-profit organization works to build partnerships that increase access to care for community members in need.
Click here to view the full article about the event from the Northwest Florida Daily news.
