Angie’s Story of Hope
When Angie Kimbrell started having painful flare-ups in her right eye, her ophthalmologist blamed allergies. Her doctor prescribed steroid treatments and new contacts, but no matter what she tried, her eye kept getting worse. One morning, Angie woke up to find she was completely blind in her right eye.
Afraid and in pain, Angie’s husband rushed her to the doctor. A new ophthalmologist was able to alleviate Angie’s pain, but no one could determine the reason why she had lost her vision. Without knowing the cause, there was little hope of restoring her eyesight. Angie and her husband, Tim, prayed for a miracle.
Tim and Angie believe God led them to Dr. Esen Akpek in Baltimore and a diagnosis they had waited a long time for. Dr. Akpek explained to Angie that an autoimmune disorder called ankylosing spondylosis was causing fever blisters in her eye. Angie’s body was attacking itself, and Dr. Akpek helped Angie fight back.
Thanks to the generous gift of an eye tissue donor and Dr. Akpek’s expertise, Angie received a corneal transplant that restored sight in her right eye. Her husband, who serves as the president of the Alabama Coroner’s Association, has worked closely with Advancing Sight Network for years, helping to coordinate eye tissue donations. He has a new appreciation for people who make the decision to donate.
“If someone hadn’t donated, where would my wife be today? She wouldn’t have any sight,” Tim said, grateful for the gift of sight that had such a powerful impact on his family.
As for Angie, she has a deep sense of gratitude for her donor. She and Tim credit their faith, a generous eye tissue donor, and Dr. Akpek for her restored sight.
Registering to be an eye tissue donor is easy, and your gift can restore in people like Angie who need sight-saving surgeries.