Sitamma and her son benefit from a single surgery

Cataract blindness is very common among poor people living in rural areas of India. Due to widespread poverty and a complete absence of ophthalmologists in rural areas, several thousands of poor people go blind and remain blind even though this is a treatable condition. To help such people, the Sankurathri Foundation has designed a community outreach program in which they take eye care to the door steps of the needy and poor in rural and remote areas.

Under this program, their medical team visits a location and conducts free eye examinations for all that show up. They advise those suffering from cataracts to undergo surgery, and if the patients are willing, Sankurathri provides same-day transportation to the base hospital for surgery. Preoperative testing, food, accommodation, medicine during surgery, intraocular lenses (lenses implanted in the eye), post operative medications, and transportation back to the village are free of cost to the patient. In addition, they also provide transportation to the two postoperative visits.

Sitamma is 60 years old and lives with her son Ramana in the village of Peda Kothuru in Andhra Pradesh, India. Her husband died five years back due to a heart attack. She became blind in her left eye due to a cataract and found it was difficult for her to manage her own needs. Under such conditions, she was a great responsibility for her son and she became very depressed. Her son is a farm laborer and couldn’t afford to pay for her cataract surgery. When she attended the Sankurathri Foundation’s free eye screening camp nearby, they performed cataract surgery free of charge.

Thank you for your kindness, Chris. Without your donation, Sitamma would still be struggling with basic tasks.