Sibaya Community Trust pays for 50 children to get corrective eye surgery and related treatments

DURBAN - Sibaya Community Trust sponsored 50 vulnerable children to allow them to undergo corrective eye surgery.

An event was held on Friday to celebrate the successful surgeries with some of the children at McCord Provincial Hospital.

Vivian Reddy, chairperson of the Sibaya Community Trust, said that it is only right that we pause and think about those who have never known what it means to be able to see.

“We fully understand that vision loss can affect one’s physical health by increasing the risk of falls and quality of life, and it can also have a big impact on mental health resulting in social isolation, depression, loneliness, fear and anxiety.”

“Our sponsorship via our service provider Keratoconus Foundation SA saw them facilitate desperately needed treatment including corneal transplant, cross-linking, intacs and contact lens to patients.”

Reddy added that the trust was glad that the sponsorship also enabled the foundation to provide training for clinicians, registrars and UKZN optometry students here at McCord Provincial Hospital.

“Today, hundreds of people are in need of a lifesaving corneal transplant. In fact, many of them die waiting for a donated cornea, and some are taken off the waiting list because they became too sick for a transplant. We are really happy to have made a difference to 50 children.”

Reddy added that the trust was also proud to be associated with the Cardiac Foundation of SA and had sponsored 40 children to undergo corrective heart surgery. These surgeries took place at the eThekwini Heart Hospital.

“Our financial intervention most certainly has saved the lives of the most vulnerable. Further, we continue with free cancer screening via our NPO Daughters of Africa, who also assist us on our free Covid vaccination drive. From our free cancer screening, over 400 people were found to have had abnormal cells and referred to specialists.”

Reddy thanked Professor Vanessa Moodley, the founding Trustee of Keratoconus, for bringing the project to Sibaya Community Trust.

Moodley praised the work of the Sibaya Community Trust.

“It’s because of their generosity that children were able to get their vision back, see the faces of their parents and teachers and return to society.”