“The problem now is that the lower lid of the socket has become loose and the artificial eye doesn’t fit properly,” said Medrine, when contacting Hot Cares with details of her situation. “The artificial eye also slips out when l am walking in the streets and children are afraid of how l look, often covering their faces when they look at me. I have lost confidence and I’ve been avoiding people, because l am afraid of my eye falling out.”
Her appearance has also affected Medrine’s employment opportunities, so she contacted Eyes Alive, an eye clinic in Randburg, where she was quoted R24 000 for the surgery she requires. Unfortunately, this out of reach for her, financially.
So, Hot Cares decided to step in, referring Medrine to Gavin Downward, an ocularist we’ve worked with before.
He met with her, assessed her eye, and confirmed that Medrine was in need of attention, immediately fitting her with a temporary eye and then another, once the inflammation of the back of the eye had subsided.
Once that inflammation has gone completely, the next step is for Gavin to make a final impression of the eye socket and then a final beautiful eye for Medrine, which is just great news!
At the same time, Hot Cares approached the Dis-Chem Foundation, as they are passionate about better health, changing people’s lives and improving their circumstances. Medrine certainly fits the bill, as having this prosthetic eye will not only help her feel better and more confident, but also hopefully open doors for her to find employment.
As a result, the Dis-Chem Foundation said they were happy to get onboard and pay for the prosthetic eye for Medrine!
Excellent news and a huge thank you to the Dis-Chem Foundation and Gavin Downward!
If you are in a position to donate towards making a meaningful difference or have a story to alert us to, or a programme you’d like to partner with Hot Cares on, please get in touch with us by emailing info@hotcares.co.za.
