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Nassau, Bahamas - Eighty
per cent of all visual impairment can be prevented or cured. This means
that if more people were to pay attention to the importance of their
eyes, get tested, and treat them with care, this astounding statistic
can be decreased.
The
Bahamas Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired (BABVI) is working
hard to put a dent in the statistics here in the Bahamas through an
island-wide campaign this month, as October is celebrated globally as
Blindness Awareness Month. This year's theme is "No More Avoidable
Blindness". BABVI brought together the opthamological nurses of the
Ministry of Health, corporate sponsors, The Erin H. Gilmore School for
the Blind, the Disabled Persons Organization (DPO), and the general
public together for month-long celebrations all around New Providence.
You
can support BABVI today by attending and purchasing souse out at the
Walk-A-Thon and Souse-Out at the Golden gates Sopping Center.
Participants in the fun run will walk from the plaza to Bahamas Faith
Ministries and back. Souse will be on sale in the plaza's parking lot
until
12 noon.
The
month of celebrations started out with thanks and praise; the DPO
celebrated its 33rd anniversary this month with a service at Faith
United Baptist Church, and BABVI members attended. The favor was
returned the following
Sunday
when they came out in big numbers to hear the word from Pastor James
Newry of Calvary Deliverance Temple on East Street. Pastor Newry
encouraged the public and corporate Bahamas to do everything possible to
help make life easier for the disabled and to give them the opportunity
to showcase their talents; noting that their only shortfall may be
opportunity.
The
opthamological nurses at the Ministry of Health, known as the Eye
Nurses, hosted a full one-day symposium at the Ministry's office on
Meeting Street on Thursday, October 9. Nurses from other fields of
medicine, doctors, and the general public attended. Not only did they
learn more about eyecare and were exposed to the latest eye treatments,
they also had the opportunity to see demonstrations by BABVI on some of
the latest devices they use in daily life. Dr. Phillip Swann was
amongst the presenters who gave informative presentations on eye care
health standards, practices and treatments.
Yellow
Elder Primary and Leadership Academy students gave rave reviews after
BABVI visited their schools this month. Children had the opportunity to
be blindfolded and to use the white cane to find objects that were
thrown to the ground so that they could use their sense of hearing.
Children watched as President Antoine Munroe and other BABVI members
demonstrated how they use the computer to prepare documents and surf the
internet; using Facebook and other social media platforms. They
demonstrated how they use their smartphones to send whatsapp messages
and more. Other devices for show-and-tell included a talking calculator
and weight scale.
Kids
shouted with excitement to watch Ervens Pierre perform acrobatic tricks
despite his disability. He shared a testimony that obviously touched
the children when he shared the story of how he was in primary school
playing wresting with his friends when he was accidentally hit in the
eye. Instead of getting it checked out, he "toughed it out" and the
next morning when he awoke, he could not see. He stressed to the
children the importance of protecting the eyes and letting an adult know
if they are experiencing any visual difficulties. But the show was not
over. President Antoine Munroe received a standing ovation from Yellow
Elder Primary School students as he sang inspirational songs to
encourage them to reach their goals just as he did.
National
T-Shirt Day was celebrated on Friday, October 10, and received wide
support from corporate sponsors, especially the CDM Group (formerly
Commonwealth Medical Drugs), where the entire staff participated by
purchasing a Blindness Awareness Month T-Shirt. Other corporate
sponsors of Blindness Awareness Month included Sky Bahamas; Nassau
Agencies Limited;Sun Oil Limited; Bahamas First Insurance; Family
Guardian Insurance Company; J.S. Johnson Insurance Agents & Brokers;
Blanco Chemicals Limited; and Variety Disposable Products.
The
Mall at marathon came alive on Wednesday, October 15, which was
celebrated all over the world as White Cane Day. Government officials
and BABVI administrators gave presentations, and the entire event was
run on a sound system by DJ Jermaine Clarke, who is completely blind.
Ms. Maria Deleveaux brought out her entire school population at the Erin
H. Gilmore School for The Blind to participate. The school band gave
riveting renditions of Gospel music, rake n' scrape style, while one
student read a touching poem on life as a blind child.
Blindness
Awareness Month will conclude with the "Eye Ball", which is being held
in conjunction with the eye nurses, and will honor a pioneer in Eye Care
in The Bahamas, Dr. Kenneth Knowles, the first Bahamian Opthamologist.
For more information on the month's activities, email BABVI at babvi101@gmail.com, or telephone President Munroe at 676-2039. Find them on Facebook and Twitter at: Babvi Bahamas.
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