See the Difference You Can Make For Molly this Blind Week

Next week the Royal New Zealand of the Blind is celebrating ‘Molly’s’ Blind Week as part of their annual Blind Week appeal which runs from 27 October – 2 November.

The Foundation urges New Zealanders to see the difference they can make to the lives of their 11,700 blind and partially-sighted members – members like little five-year old Molly, the face of this year’s Blind Week Appeal. Molly and the Foundation need your support to help raise over $500,000.

Wellington-based Molly is a lively five-year old girl who has recently started school. She has a vivid imagination and a love for drawing and dancing. But these activities take a lot more concentration and practice for Molly, who was born with a rare chromosome disorder that left her blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other.

Molly’s mum, Beth, says Molly finds things much harder to deal with than other kids her age: “She is constantly on the go, but as a result of her vision she finds some things more challenging, like climbing up and down stairs, getting on and off seats, slides at the park, and even getting into her own bed,” she says.

Molly’s Blind Week encourages you to see the extraordinary difference New Zealanders’ generosity can make to the lives of the Foundation's blind and partially sighted members. You can help make Molly’s story a success by supporting the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind’s annual Blind Week appeal from 27 October – 2 November.

“The Foundation is trying to raise over $500,000 so we can continue giving our members the skills needed to do everyday things the rest of us take for granted”, says Alison Wheatley, RNZFB’s Executive Director Marketing and Fundraising.

“By equipping our members with the right tools and training – whether it’s adaptive skills, technology or resources – they are empowered to lead independent lives and enjoy full participation in society,” she says.

Look out for the Blind Week donation envelopes that are currently appearing in mailboxes all over the country. To donate to Blind Week please call 0800 DONATE (366 283) or visit the website at www.blindweek.org.nz.

Attachments:
- A: Image of five-year-old Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Member Molly – the face of the Foundation’s Blind Week appeal, October 27 – November 2.
- B: Image of Molly on her way to school with her mum, Beth.
- C: RNZFB Blind Week Media Kit (updated version)

Website: www.rnzfb.org.nz/blindweek

More about the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind

All about RNZFB members

· The RNZFB has approximately 11,700 members across New Zealand.

· Every year, nearly 1,200 New Zealanders become RNZFB members after experiencing serious sight loss.

· The most common eye condition that RNZFB members have is age-related macular degeneration followed by glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.

Membership breakdown by age

· 0 – 20 years: 7%

· 20 – 39 years: 9%

· 40 – 64 years: 17%

· 65 –79 years: 14%

· 80+ years: 53%

Most common eye conditions among members

· Age-related macular degeneration: 4,935 or 43.6%

· Glaucoma: 666 or 5.8%

· Retinitis Pigmentosa: 461 or 4%

· Cataract: 327 or 2.9%

· Optic Atrophy: 296 or 2.6%

· Diabetic Retinopathy: 268 or 2.3%

· Albinism: 147 or 1.3%

· Detachment of Retina: 109 or 0.9%

· Other: 683 or 5.9%

· Unknown/not recorded: 1,251 or 10.9%