Page 8 - Lion's Gift of Sight Fall Newsletter

Donor Spotlight: Clyde Ramsden
Clyde Ramsden was a generous man with a great sense of humor and a great sense of adventure. He had a knack for drawing interesting and worthwhile friends to him, friends who shared his interest in travel, card games, hunting, and fishing. He valued spending time with his wife, Fran, and his children and grandchildren and still found time to be an entrepreneur and the owner of a trucking company.
Clyde served in the Navy during WWII and studied hard to become top ten in his class as a naval pilot. Comfortable in the air, he negotiated night flights in a time when the stars were your GPS. Clyde was stationed in Japan as a patrol bomber flying the Asian arena, only once
talking about the destruction he saw at Hiroshima. We salute him and all
veterans during November, a month of remembrance.
Clyde was a longtime member of the Annandale, Minnesota, Lions club. His life of service as a Lion did not stop with his passing. Clyde donated his eyes to Lions Gift of Sight and his body to the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program. Both gifts are benefiting the medical community through research and education. His eyes are helping scientists develop treatments for retinal diseases like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. His body is advancing high quality education for future health professionals. As a research donor, Clyde has impacted and will continue to impact
countless lives.
Recipient Spotlight: Deanne
Deanne was not yet 50 when her ophthalmologist delivered the news that she had Fuchs’ dystrophy, a progressive eye disease that affects the delicate inner layers of the cornea. With Fuchs’, the corneas become swollen. Painful blisters can form on the eye’s surface. Light sensitivity increases, and vision is distorted. Fortunately, there is a treatment: corneal transplants.
Because of inflammation from a bout with West Nile virus, Deanne’s vision
deteriorated much more quickly than expected. She was unable to read, participate in her book club, cross stitch, or see the colors with the vibrancy she used to. Within one year of diagnosis, Deanne was a candidate for corneal transplants and received them six months apart. Her vision was restored, and Deanne has this to say:
“Icannot tell you how blessed I am to have the support of my family and friends throughout this process. Blessed for the medical staff that has the talent and knowledge to make the transplants successful. Blessed for an organization such as Lions Gift of Sight who assisted with getting donations. BLESSED for the donors and the donor families who cared
and shared their precious gifts.”
8 Lions Gift of Sight