{"id":31327,"date":"2026-08-06T18:17:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T18:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.helpmesee.org\/?page_id=31327"},"modified":"2026-08-06T18:23:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T18:23:52","slug":"blind-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/helpmesee.org\/es\/blind-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"Blind and beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Welcome, Blind & Beyond Listeners<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u25b6 Listen to This Page<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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This page has been designed with descriptive image text for visitors using screen readers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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If you’re visiting from Blind & Beyond Radio<\/strong>, thank you for being here.<\/p>

Your community understands that independence, dignity, and access to quality healthcare matter. Whether you live with vision loss yourself, support someone who does, or simply believe everyone deserves access to care, we’re honored you’ve taken the time to learn more about HelpMeSee.<\/p>

Together, we’re working toward a future where fewer people lose sight simply because they cannot reach a trained cataract surgeon.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Together, We Can Help More People Access Sight-Restoring Treatment\u00a0<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Every day, millions of people around the world live with blindness caused by cataract\u2014a condition that can often be treated with a simple surgical procedure.<\/span><\/p>

Yet for millions, treatment remains out of reach simply because there isn’t a trained cataract surgeon nearby.<\/span><\/p>

That’s the challenge HelpMeSee is working to solve.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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HelpMeSee expands access to cataract surgery by training surgeons in the communities where they are needed most.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For someone living with cataract blindness, that can mean the opportunity to choose surgery, regain vision, and return to the people and activities they love.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Hear From the People Transforming Eye Care<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Dr. Nicoletta Finn-Thompson<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Chief Medical Officer, HelpMeSee<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Learn how HelpMeSee is expanding its global reach and working with partners across Africa to address the growing burden of cataract blindness through sustainable surgeon training programs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr. Winston Cessay<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, The Gambia
Chief Executive Officer of the Shiekh Zayed Region Eye Care Centre<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Hear firsthand about the blindness crisis in The Gambia and how innovative training programs<\/span> including <\/span>el<\/span> groundbreaking<\/span> programa <\/span><\/span>C<\/span>ataract <\/span>S<\/span>urgery <\/span>S<\/span>imulation<\/span>-based Training<\/span> Program, <\/span>are helping increase access to sight-restoring care.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mike Vercio<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Senior Director \u2013 Simulator Operations, HelpMeSee<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Discover how<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>aviation training is being adapted to help cataract surgeons master delicate surgical techniques through immersive virtual reality simulation.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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One Surgeon Can Change Thousands of Lives<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The impact of training a cataract surgeon extends far beyond a single patient.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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In Madagascar, a mechanic named Randriam lost his sight and his livelihood to cataract.<\/span><\/span><\/h3>

After receiving surgery from a <\/span>programa<\/span>-trained surgeon, he returned to work and regained his independence.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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In The Gambia, a nurse named Alagie was inspired by his grandmother, who passed away with cataract. <\/span><\/span><\/h3>

Through<\/span> el<\/span> programa<\/span> S<\/span>imulation-based <\/span>T<\/span>raining, he learned the skills needed to restore sight to others and now provides hope to patients in his community.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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In Nigeria, Dr. Sheriff travels each year to Yobe, where patients often travel for hours seeking cataract surgery.<\/span><\/h3>

When asked why she returns year after year, often paying her own expenses, she explains simply:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

“They have no other options for care.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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These stories show how investing in the training of one surgeon can improve access to care for thousands of people over the course of a career, strengthening families, communities, and local healthcare systems.\u00a0<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Help Expand Access to Cataract Care<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If these stories resonate with you, we invite you to help expand access to cataract care around the world.<\/span><\/h2>

Your support helps train cataract surgeons who provide life-changing treatment to people who might otherwise go without care. Every contribution helps bring skilled surgeons to communities where the need is greatest, creating lasting benefits for patients, families, and local healthcare systems.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The impact cataract treatment often reaches beyond one individual by breaking cycles of poverty. It can mean returning to work, going back to school, caring for family members, and strengthening local economies by reducing the burden on caregivers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Your gift today can help:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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