Missy Franklin and Brad Snyder go for gold while giving the priceless gift of sight
We are pleased to announce that U.S. Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin and U.S. Paralympic swimmer Brad Snyder are teaming up with Seva through Swim for Sight, an exciting campaign to help cure blindness during the 2016 U.S. Olympics and Paralympics as they go for gold in Rio.
"I am so excited to support Swim for Sight," said four-time Olympic gold medalist Franklin. "Swim for Sight has been absolutely incredible in pledging that for every $25 donation they receive they will cover [the cost of consumables for] one free sight-restoring surgery to someone in need."
Franklin currently holds several swimming records, including the world record in the 200-meter backstroke and American records for both the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke. When the 19-year-old is not training or competing, she is very active with various charitable causes, like Swim for Sight, giving back to the community.
For Synder, the global blindness cause is very personal. While serving in Afghanistan in 2011, the United States Navy Veteran lost his eyesight after an IED explosion. He went on to join the United States Paralympic team, winning two gold medals and one silver at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. Snyder is now helping others see through Swim for Sight.
"Since losing my eyesight I know what it's like to be left in darkness, but it brings me great joy to shed light on curable blindness and help others get sight-restoring surgeries," said Synder. "Swim for Sight is such an important partnership to me. Being blind in a developing country can be a death sentence. For me to be able to bring awareness to the global blindness issue and help others see is amazing."
For every $25 donated to Seva through Swim for Sight, a patient living with a curable form of blindness will receive a free sight-restoring surgery ($25 covers the consumable cost of cataract surgery which includes the new lens, surgical sutures, eye drops, etc.) and Seva will cover the other associated costs. Swim for Sight is being organized by Dr. Michael Feilmeier and The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).
"I am so pleased that Missy and Brad have partnered with us to make Swim for Sight a success," said Dr. Michael Feilmeier, program founder. "Thanks to their help and the support of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and our Swim For Sight partners we will be able to help even more patients around the world. We are not only restoring sight with this surgery, we are restoring life."
To learn more visit swimforsight.us.
Swim for Sight is supported by Dr. Michael Feilmeier, the Truhlsen Eye Institute at The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), ASCRS Foundation, Orbis International, Seva Foundation and the Himalayan Cataract Project.
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"I am so excited to support Swim for Sight!"- Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin. |
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"For me to be able to bring awareness to the global blindness issue and help others see is amazing."- U.S. Paralympic swimmer Brad Snyder. |
