Haiti Eye Mission expands care and prepares for annual “Night for Sight” fundraiser | WDAY Radio
Haiti Eye Mission’s Kristin Follman on WDAY Radio’s Bonnie and Friends
FARGO, N.D. – Kristin Follman, representing the Haiti Eye Mission, appeared in-studio on Bonnie and Friends to share updates on the medical non-profit’s sight-saving work and preview an upcoming local fundraising event.
The medical non-profit conducts annual trips to the island of Hispaniola, serving residents of both Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
“We do eye screenings, hand out eye medications, do surgeries—about 300 surgeries or more each year—and just treat those that have no other access to that sight-saving treatment,” Follman said.
Addressing the urgent need for specialized eye care in the region, she noted that vision loss is widespread and medical resources are severely constrained.
“The eye needs are staggering. They have epidemic levels of glaucoma and cataracts, and really very, very limited resources,” Follman stated.
Because glaucoma causes irreversible vision damage, early intervention is critical to preserving sight.
“You have to catch it before you lose your sight, there’s no reversing that,” Follman explained. “So that’s why the eye drops are so important. We do have some surgical procedures that we can do for glaucoma to keep it under control. So that’s why these annual trips are so important, to make sure that we can get them access to the treatment that they need.”
Over the past decade, the organization has performed thousands of surgical procedures, restoring independence for patients who previously relied on others.
“It’s so meaningful to see how their life is changed, and how they now can go to school, they can work, they can be productive and help support their families,” Follman said.
Due to ongoing civil unrest in Haiti, the organization’s recent trips have operated out of a new facility in Santiago on the Dominican side of Hispaniola.
“This location brought us closer to the border of Haiti. It brought us in more rural areas where we could really make an impact,” Follman said, explaining that a mobile screening team was able to enter targeted, impoverished rural communities that lack medical resources.
In addition to annual volunteer trips, the non-profit is working to create sustainable year-round care in Haiti by supporting a Haitian doctor through ophthalmology training.
“Our expenses are higher because we’re doing the annual trips and we’re still trying to create sustainable eye care in Haiti and empower them to help themselves,” Follman said. “That has been our goal the whole time, and now we’re really closer to that, and it’s really exciting.”
To help fund these expanded operations and cover the $80,000 to $90,000 cost per medical trip, the Haiti Eye Mission will host its fourth annual “A Night for Sight” fundraiser on Thursday, October 1, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Avalon Event Center.
The evening will feature high-energy MC Patrick Kirby, dinner provided by the Avalon, a photo booth, a DJ, and raffle items.
“It’s just a fun time to get together and bring your friends,” Follman said. “We can really just share with our supporters how we’re making a difference together and changing lives.”
Event tickets, table sponsorships, and donation opportunities are available online through givebutter.com and the organization’s website at haitieyemission.com. Community members can also support the cause year-round through Bergstrom Optical, which donates $10 to the Haiti Eye Mission for every complete pair of glasses sold.