Gymnast and cornea-transplant recipient Alysa Samaratunga
When she was just 13 years old, Alysa Samaratunga contracted a rare bacterium that damaged her cornea and left her blind in her right eye. A gymnast on Team Canada with hopes of one day competing in the Olympics, the only thing Alysa could do was wait for a cornea transplant to restore her sight.
Three years later, Alysa is incredibly grateful to the nameless individual whose generous donation has enabled her to live life as a normal teenager.
“Because a family donated their child’s cornea, I can see again. I just got my driver’s license and I’m back to the active lifestyle I used to have. None of that would have been possible without this amazing family.”
How can you help?
Whether its administrators, physicians, nurses or ancillary staff, we all play a part in ensuring there can be more success stories like Alysa’s.
Step one is helping the Eye Bank acquire tissue by reporting all deaths 75 years or younger to the Donor Referral Line at 1-877-366-6722. This is vital because eyes must be retrieved within eight hours of death.
In 2012, only 61 per cent of deaths across VCH were reported, yet most people are candidates for donation—even those with glasses, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, cataracts and certain types of cancer.
Right now, 420 people across BC are waiting for corneal transplants. By helping the Eye Bank acquire tissue—including compassionately approaching donor families—you can have a direct role in reducing this waiting list and helping people like Alysa.
For more information how you can help, visit the Eye Bank online or check out some wonderful testimonials from donor families and patients at www.facebook.com/EyeBankBC.