Specsavers volunteers recently played a crucial role in supporting 2,414 individuals living in Kolkata’s streets and slum communities in India.
Over a week, a team of expert Opticians visited eleven different locations and gave eye checks to 2,414 patients, dispensed over 1,904 glasses, and in more severe cases, referred patients to hospital for surgery.
As the team navigated the harsh reality while volunteering at The Hope Hospital Eye Clinic, they met many patients who had never had eye health care or seen an Optician before.
One of those patients was Clara Halder, a 56-year-old community care giver. A hugely passionate reader, books have always been Clara’s escapism from reality, however in recent years she has struggled with deteriorating vision. What once brought her joy, reading now brought her terrible headaches. Without opportunity or spend to see an Optician or Doctor about her eyesight, she found herself having to sacrifice her passion of reading. However, when Specsavers came to her local community with the mobile Eye Clinic she queued to be seen and was overjoyed when she was prescribed glasses and given a pair on the spot to take home. Speaking to Specsavers she said she ‘can’t believe she gets to take these glasses home and for nothing in return. This is a gift that you cannot possibly understand the value of. This will bring me back my joy, my peace and it’s something for just me to have.’
Specsavers Donegal Town, Optometrist Director Eddie Dolan says: ‘I am so thankful to everyone across the Specsavers stores who have helped support this well-deserving charity. From my colleagues in Specsavers to the customers who have supported, I am grateful for the continued support and generosity for The Hope Foundation. The fundraising efforts allowed Specsavers to provide much-needed care across Kolkata communities.’
For the people seen by Specsavers on this trip to Kolkata, having glasses can be a life changing tool, be it to help in their education or help them to obtain work to support their families. This was the case for 57-year-old Dannu Prasad Ladar.
A long-haul driver, Dannu is the sole provider for his family of a wife and three children. Struggling with cataracts in both eyes, Danny’s job was becoming increasingly challenging and stressful, not to mention dangerous. He had refrained from seeking medical intervention in fear that he would lose his job and his family’s source of income and also not be able to afford the healthcare. He speaks of the night he stumbled upon the Specsavers Night Clinic as a ‘blessing I will be eternally grateful for’.
At the end of their week-long volunteering trip, Specsavers presented a cheque of €135,000 to founder of The Hope Foundation, Maureen Forrest. This significant donation will play a vital role in sustaining the eye care clinic in Kolkata.
In addition to the staff from Specsavers, four optometry students from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Eimear Kilroy, Irene Finnerty, Brid Stack, and Ava Shiels and Paula James along with their Lecturer and Head of Optometry, Declan Hovenden travelled to Kolkata. Specsavers has an academic partnership with TU Dublin, providing expert mentorship and support to students of Optometry. The partnership is to help students develop the necessary skillsets required to excel in a professional environment and in their academic studies, so Specsavers were thrilled to be able to bring some students from the course to Kolkata to help with their mission.
To find out more information, request an appointment, or to speak to an expert, please call your local Specsavers team or visit https://www.specsavers.ie/stores/donegaltown / https://www.specsavers.ie/stores/letterkenny
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