Third Annual Eyes on Capitol Hill Provides Wisconsin Participants Opportunity to meet with Government Leaders
MILWAUKEE, WI (March 28, 2007) – Prevent Blindness Wisconsin and Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, celebrate the success of the third annual "Eyes on Capitol Hill" campaign, held in Washington, DC. The program provides participants the opportunity to meet with their own state’s legislators and share their personal experiences with vision loss. Through the national event, vision advocates had nearly 150 appointments with Members of Congress and Congressional staff to educate important decision makers about the needs for continues funding for research and programs to prevent vision loss.
"For the third consecutive year, your state advocates gave a voice to vision in congressional meetings," said Bob Goldstein President & CEO of Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. "Through their participation, our delegates were able to put a face on vision health issues and educate lawmakers on what more needs to be done in the fight to prevent blindness and vision loss."
Wisconsin had a delegation of 4 participants including Justice Hadley, 8 and her mother Angie, from Sun Prairie, WI. This was their second trip. In the past year Justice had two cataract surgeries that helped improve her vision with the additional help of new glasses. “If it wasn’t for Prevent Blindness Wisconsin 4 years ago, we never would have discovered this problem and Justice would have been blind in her left eye,” said Angie Hadley.
Patty Zallar from Madison, WI was diagnosed with uveitis at the age of 5 and has had numerous surgeries for glaucoma. An employee of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for the past 17 years, Patty is an advocate for the blind and visually impaired.
Donna LaPlante from Green Bay, WI attended a Prevent Blindness Wisconsin glaucoma screening at her work. Identified with possible glaucoma, Donna went on to a specialist and will be tested yearly for any future signs of glaucoma.
Participants met with and told their stories to Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, and Congressman Steve Kagen and Congresswoman Tami Baldwin. The leaders were encouraged to support increased funding for vision issues, including the Vision Preservation Act, HR 3750, which Congresswoman Baldwin has co-sponsored.
“We would like to thank all of our participants for allowing us to help them tell their stories,” added Goldstein. “We hope that through their experience with Eyes on Capitol Hill that they will be inspired to becomes vision care advocates in our own state of Wisconsin.
In the United States today, one in 20 preschool children has a vision problem, and for adults, the estimated cost associated with adult vision diseases is $51.4 billion annually. As federal and state budget cuts continue to threaten public access to quality vision care services, Prevent Blindness America and its affiliates are helping to introduce bills across the country to help fund vision programs.
For more information on Eyes on Capitol Hill or on how you can contact your state representative to ask for their support on vision-related issues, call Prevent Blindness Wisconsin at (414) 765-0505 or visit http://www.preventblindness.org/wi/.
About Prevent Blindness Wisconsin
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin provides free, direct sight-saving services throughout Wisconsin. In implementing these services, we prevent blindness by identifying early signs of vision disorders, facilitating early and effective treatment, and preventing eye injury. We are a non-profit organization and are supported entirely by voluntary contributions from individuals, corporations, family foundations, organizations, special events, and bequests. Our fiscal year is April 1st through March 31st.
