Alfonso Diaz receives an artificial eye

Blind on his right eye from the age of 1

When Alfonso was one year old, his right eye was hit by a barbecue stick. Right after the incident, the mother, together with Alfonso, went to a hospital in Cebu for an eye check-up. The surgeon who was examining the eye of Alfonso, asked the mother for a big amount of money, but because they were so poor, they couldn’t afford the operation. So nothing was done to the right eye of Alfonso with the result that the eyeball shriveled up.

Alfonso is one of the sponsor children and is a good student

Procedure

When we decided to help Alfonso, the first step was to have him undergo a series of eye check-ups at Perpetual Succour Hospital. The attending Eye Specialist, told us that Alfonso needed an eye operation which the doctor termed as “CONJUNCTIVO PLASTY’, which was scheduled at Velez General  Hospital.

Alfonso at the eye doctor

The eye operation took 2 hours and right after the operation we were allowed to go home. The doctor prescribed an Eye Drop for Alfonso, to be dropped into the operated eye 4 times a day. A series of follow-up check –ups was being conducted just to make sure that the eye had no infection, or any complication that might occur in the eye which had been operated.

If the eye would remain in good condition, then after 5 weeks, the ARTIFICIAL EYE would be placed on the right eye of Alfonso Diaz Jr.

Choosing an eye that would suit Alfonso

Fitting the eye

Alfonso came to our office in Happy Valley to show us how changed he is. Here together with Jenny.

Alfonso was so thankful that he could get a new eye. It was sponsored by “Philippines in Mind” from Denmark. He wrote the following letter.

The letter in Alfonso's handwriting

It made a big difference in Alfonso’s life to get an eye. The cost of the operation and to get the eye fitted was way beyond what Alfonso’s family would ever be able to afford, so we at the Rise Above are very grateful that we could channel this donation to help a young person to get a better chance in his life.

Article written by Elisabet Hansen and

Aida Commendador, Social Worker with Rise Above Foundation