Page 3 - Lions Gift of Sight Today

Corneal recipient Jason Finley helps spread the word about eye, organ, and tissue donation. See p. 8 for Jason’s story.
Corneal Recipients Give Back
Corneal recipients are an invaluable group of Lions Gift of Sight volunteers. In gratitude for restored sight, recipients work on projects, assist with
staff events, and tell their stories to promote donation and the work of eye banks. We owe them our gratitude.
Jessica Moore
Volunteering for Lions Gift of Sight gives me a unique opportunity to combine my love of helping others with making a difference. I volunteer as a speaker for this amazing organization, and I share how I slowly became legally blind and eventually had two cornea transplants that restored my sight. I speak with many Lions members around the state and reaffirm their drive for fundraising.
I also hope my story brings comfort to those who have lost someone and inspires them to become donors themselves because of the difference they made in my life. What I didn’t expect was that their life experiences would change my view as well. I have met many donors’ families, and I cherish their gifts now more than ever.
Paula Freidson
I volunteer to be a voice and a face for eye donation. When people hear my story, my hope is that they remember me when faced with decisions about eye donation. I vol- unteer because I am grateful every day for the gift of sight. I do not take this gift lightly. I volunteer because it is a way to use my professional skills as a life-long educator. I volunteer as a small way to thank families who have made the decision to donate their loved ones’ corneas so another can see. I believe sharing my story of vision loss to sight has made a positive impact on others. I volunteer because I love supporting an organization I am passionate about.
Carol Mulder
Being a volunteer speaker for Lions Gift of Sight over the years has given me the op- portunity not just to share my vision story and the effect my cornea transplant has had on my life but also to thank those who contributed to making that life change happen for me. I speak not only for myself but also as a representative for all recipients who have benefited from the volunteers, professionals, and, most importantly, families who have contributed to our life-changing cornea transplants. I want to thank the donor families for their loved ones’ most generous gifts, given at a time of grief. I hope that by putting a face and a story to a cornea transplant they see the value of the gift and how transformational it is.
Jessica Moore
Paula Freidson
Carol Mulder
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