About Us - International Programs - Operation Eye Rescue Stories

Restoring Sight to Those Most in Need

Operation Eye Rescue changes the lives of people around the world who have sight returned despite their economic circumstances.  Some of their stories are here.

Noor Al-Ithawi

Noor Al-Ithawi is a 5 year old girl from a small village south of Baghdad, Iraq.  She has been blind since birth because of Peter’s Anomaly, a genetic disorder that prevents the normal development of corneas.
During the conflict in Iraq, Noor’s father and other family members joined U.S. forces in defending her small village.  This is how Noor met 1st Lieutenant. Michael Kendrick.  Lt. Kendrick learned of Noor’s vision problems and decided to help.  He contacted organizations in the U.S. to help arrange for her cornea transplant surgery.

Noor and her mother came to the United States for treatment, coordinated by the Eye Birth Defects Foundation.  TBI/Tissue Banks International was proud to offer the tissue for Noor’s surgery with no associated fees through its Operation Eye Rescue program.  Noor’s surgery proceeded well, and she was cleared to return home after three days.

Noor is making progress and seeing light as well as shapes, and visual perception is improving rapidly.  Noor’s family hopes she may someday help others with eye disease, as she has been helped by so many.

Din Ndasi

Din Ndasi's life was put on hold when his vision deteriorated so badly he had to drop out of high school.  Living in Cameroon, where there is a shortage of corneal tissue for transplant, Din had little hope of regaining sight and rejoining his classmates.

But TBI was there to help.  When demand in the U.S. is met, and with the permission of donor families, TBI offers corneal tissue to indigent patients in medically underserved countries with no associated processing fees.

Din received his transplant, completed high school, is studying to be a nurse, and looks forward to helping others as he has been helped.  “This has forever rekindled the hope of a brighter future beyond my imagination.”