WV eye docs: The miracle workers for 'The Miracle Worker'
"It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision." "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
From left, Dr. Aldrich Gaspar, Dr. Jeremy Saquian,
Dr. Cynthia Salcedo, Philippine Academy of Ophthal
mologists - Western Visayas president Dr. Karen
Rivera- Francia, Dr. Henry Tupas and Dr. Mark
Mansueto during the press conference for Vision
2020 Iloilo and Guimaras.
Famous quotes from a famous person who may have been an ordinary woman in her time yet lived it through with extraordinary fervor.
Meet Helen Adams Keller, an American writer who rose above her disabilities being deaf, blind and mute. Her life honored and remembered in a play by William Gibson set to be produced by the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation Incorporated.
"The Miracle Worker" comes to life anew at the CAP Auditorium, General Luna Street, Iloilo City thanks to the men and women of the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmologists (PAO) – Western Visayas (WV).
A fitting project to raise public awareness and consciousness, the PAO-WV shares Helen Keller's story while stressing everybody's right to sight. This, alongside everybody's call for "our community, our responsibility."
"The Miracle Worker" Gala night is set on February 7, 2008 with the academy members and officers further launching the "Eye Book: Informative primer on basic eye care and the Vision 2020 program."
PAO-WV is currently led by Dr. Karen Rivera-Francia with Dr. Jeremy Saquian as Iloilo City coordinator and Dr. Cynthia Vailoces-Salcedo as chairperson of the PAO's Local Committee on Sight Preservation.
"The Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology – Local Committee for Sight Preservation is pleased to announce the official launching of "Vision 2020: The Right to Sight Program" for Iloilo and Guimaras by sponsoring the gala performance of the Gilopez-Kabayao Foundation Inc. production of William Gibson's play "The Miracle Worker" on February 7, 2008. This play which has become an American classic is based on the life of Helen Keller. It highlights the issue of early childhood blindness which is one of the priorities of Vision 2020 thereby making it appropriate vehicle for our advocacy. Although she was deaf, blind and mute, her life and works have impacted the Sight Preservation program worldwide and most especially, in the Philippines. Helen Keller is listed as one of the most admired people of the 20th Century (Gallup's 1999). The "miracle" of her gaining vision despite her physical disability is one that the community has the power to give by informing and educating the public thus opening their "eyes of understanding," a gift of vision that reaches far beyond what we, eye surgeons can ever hope accomplish," the PAO-WV wrote.
To the Ilonggo community the academy calls – share that vision.
"The Miracle Worker" features Richelle Dollosa as Helen Keller and Farida Kabayao as Anne Sullivan, Keller's remarkable teacher. The duo has since been getting great reviews for their performances here.