The West Virginia University Eye Institute has received more than $40,000 in funding from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation in support of the Institute’s crucial children’s vision services in the Kanawha Valley region, an area that includes Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln and Putnam counties.
The $41,018 grant award will benefit the WVU Eye Institute’s Pediatric Vision Center and Rehabilitation Program. The Center offers treatment and rehabilitation services to Kanawha Valley area babies and children suffering from severe vision disorders, and to newborns diagnosed with Retinopathy of Prematurity, a potentially blinding condition.
In addition, the grant supports the WVU Eye Institute’s Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Program which provides blind and visually impaired school-aged children with tools to become independent and employable by optimizing visual function both at home and school. CVRP’s mission is to provide access to the visual environment for children with incurable vision loss through medical eye care, optical devices, assistive technology, educational recommendations and support to local school systems. Children receive the clinic’s services regardless of their family’s ability to pay.
“We believe the Eye Institute provides one of the most valuable services in the health care arena,” said Becky Ceperley, TGKVF president and CEO. “Helping those who are visually impaired prepare for a rich and full life is a priceless gift for those babies and children receiving the specialized treatment from the Institute. The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation is proud to be able to support the work of the Eye Institute in some small way.”
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation is a public foundation that serves the citizens and charitable agencies of the Kanawha Valley by managing donations and appropriately distributing these funds to various organizations.
For more information about the programs and services of the WVU Eye Institute, see www.wvueye.com.
-WVU-
01/05/11
CONTACT: Amy Johns, HSC News Service
304-293-7087; johnsa@wvuh.com