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Fighting Blindness Newsletter - January 2009

Greetings!
In this month's issue we have information about work on eye implants at Cork University which is funded by Fighting Blindness.
 
We are also launching our first cycling adventure - along the spectacular Great Ocean Road in Australia - and we have a new-look website with lots of new features. 
Thanks to everyone who signed up to our Christmas appeal to support our research, which we issued in the last email newsletter. By giving a small amount each month it enables us to plan for the future. 
 
There are a few tickets left for our sporting luncheon in February, which promises to get you in the mood for a fantastic weekend of rugby and racing.
 
Thanks as usual for your interest and support.
 
Kind regards,
The Fighting Blindness Team
Race to refine eye implants
Researchers funded by Fighting Blindness and based at the Tyndall Institute for Electronics, University College Cork, are conducting vital laboratory-based research to help improve the function of artificial eye implants.

These implants can be inserted into the back of the eye to restore sight to a damaged retina.
 
The technology uses a tiny camera fitted to a pair of glasses, to create a digital image of the world, and this image is then transmitted to the implant in the back of the eye. The person then 'sees' whatever the camera is pointed at.
 
The research being carried out by researcher John Alderman and his colleagues in Cork, is important because at the moment artificial eye implants give very low quality images compared to normal sight.
Read more...
cyclists on the Great Ocean Road
Join the 'Whizzards of Oz' and cycle Australia's Great Ocean Road 
 
Your challenge on two wheels takes in the Great Ocean Road - 243km of spectacular scenery hugging the SE Australian coast. The trip also includes time out in Melbourne and a few days to explore the magnificent sights of Sydney.
 
This exciting event is in association with the Paralympics Cycling Ireland and will include riders with visual impairments who will be on tandems
with pilot cyclists. Find out more!
 
More comfortable on foot than two wheels? Check out our other challenges:
3 Days, 2 Nights, 1 Serious Challenge!
 
Gather your friends and colleagues to take part in our Mourne Mountain Challenge on May 8 -10.
 
Dare to do something different and sign up today!

We've refreshed our look, and added in lots of new features. A huge thank you to all at HSSCU who sponsored the project.
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In This Issue
Race to refine eye implants
Mourne Mountain Challenge
Cycle Down Under with FB
New look for website
Could YOU be a mini marathon marvel?
Quick Links
A real sporting treat!  
sporting luncheon
 
RTE pundit Des Cahill will be putting rugby and racing experts through their paces at our Sporting Luncheon on Friday, February 6, 2009. 
 
To kick off a weekend of sporting excitement with the Ireland/France rugby match at Croke Park and the Hennessy Gold Cup the same weekend, this fundraiser will be held at the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. This event replaces our usual Gold Cup Ball this year as there's too much sporting action to hold it on the Saturday!
 
With over 20 tables already sold, there are a few spaces left. Tickets are €120 each, or €1,200 for a table of 10. Please call 01 709 3050, or email our fundraising team today. Hope to see you there!
Could YOU be a mini marathon marvel?
mini marathon women
 
Dust off your runners and sign up to take part with Team FB in the Flora Women's Mini Marathon in Dublin!
 
Last year saw our biggest team yet with over 80 women stepping out for FB (some of whom are pictured above). We want to top that this year with a huge group wearing Fighting Blindness t-shirts on Bank Holiday Monday, June 1, raising money to help us in the race to cure blindness.
 
So gather your friends, mams, daughters, grannies and colleagues to run, walk or jog the 10k route for a great day out.
 
Entry forms are available from February 26. Find out all the details here.
Registered Charity No CHY 6784 Web: www.fightingblindness.ie  Email: communications@fightingblindness.ie