Sightlines Newsletter

Thank you for your continued support! By supporting the Foundation in our mission to restore and preserve sight, you rescue thousands from a lifetime of blindness.

Honoring the Gift of Life During National Donor Sabbath

Each November, the eye, organ and tissue banking communities observe National Donor Sabbath two weekends before Thanksgiving. During this interfaith celebration of life, faith leaders encourage members of their organizations to become donors and honor the generosity of donors and their families.

Learn how your organization can be involved or find a National Donor Sabbath event in your community.

NOVEMBER 10

NOVEMBER 15

Day of Remembrance Service

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Botanical Gardens at Washington Park
1740 West Fayette Avenue
Springfield, IL
In recognition of National Donor Sabbath, the Eye Bank will join Gift of Hope, Memorial Medical Center and St. John's Hospital for a special service to honor those who have given the gift of life.

Tree of Honor Dedication Ceremony

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Freeman Hospital West
1102 W. 32nd St.
Joplin, MO
This special event, hosted in the Hospital atrium, will recognize eye, organ and tissue donors from the Joplin area. Event includes donor and recipient speakers as well as refreshments.

A Child's Sight Saved Thanks to MLERF and Parents as Teachers

Throughout the year, the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation (MLERF) works with Parents as Teachers (PAT) programs across Missouri to provide free Children’s Vision Screenings to the preschoolers and families they serve.

One of the preschoolers we screened through PAT in 2012 was two-year-old Kellar. Although his mother, older sister, and cousins all wore glasses, Kellar never demonstrated any symptoms of vision impairment or complained about his poor eyesight...

Why Eye Exams Are Crucial for Individuals With Diabetes

Diabetes does more than affect one’s blood sugar – it can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and for 40-45% of patients according to the National Eye Institute (NEI), diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness in adults.

During American Diabetes Month this November, MLERF encourages to learn if you’re at risk for diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that 25.8 million Americans, or 8.3% of the population, have diabetes, but only 18.8 million people are aware they have the disease...

Missouri Lions Clubs

Take a look at what we're doing in your community! Review the monthly program stats for your Lions district and the top giving Lions Clubs for 7/1/12 - 10/31/12.

Are you curious to know how the Foundation has served individuals in your own community? Check out our MLERF Impact Maps to see recipient information for your district.