Isibaya Trust’s visionary work sees 50 children undergo corrective eye surgery

Isibaya Community Trust recently helped 50 vulnerable children undergo corrective eye surgery and related treatments.

Through the sponsorship of their service provider, Keratoconus Foundation SA, they facilitate desperately needed treatment such as corneal transplants, cross-linking and providing contact lenses to patients.

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

He said apart from the physical challenges, blindness also has a major impact on mental health resulting in social isolation, depression, loneliness, fear and anxiety.

“We are pleased our sponsorship also enables the foundation to provide training for clinicians, registrars and UKZN optometry students at McCord Provincial Hospital. Today, hundreds of people are in need of corneal transplants. 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.”

Reddy said he was also proud to be associated with the Cardiac Foundation of SA that sponsored 40 children to undergo corrective heart surgery, while free cancer screening is conducted in collaboration with non-profit organisation Daughters of Africa.

“The Sibaya Community Trust has supported more than 120 entities and has spent close to R250-million on community upliftment projects ranging from programmes around health, education, infrastructure and more.

“Our trust plays a significant role by being actively entrenched in community upliftment. We are committed and will continue to reach out to change as many lives as possible.”

Reddy thanked professor Vanessa Moodley, the founding trustee of Keratoconus, for bringing the project to the Sibaya Community Trust and thanked the team at Keratoconus for the amazing work they do with the children

For breaking news follow The North Coast Courier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Join our Telegram Broadcast Service at: https://t.me/joinchat/yJULuN8NaCs5OGM0

Join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service: Simply add 082 792 9405 (North Coast Courier) as a contact to your phone, and WhatsApp your name and surname to the same number to be added.