by ASN | Jun 6, 2020 | Donor Month, Share Your Story
Maggie Caraway was a 15-year-old known for her positive attitude and her giving spirit. “Maggie’s strongest desire was to help others,” says her mom, Kimberly. “Throughout her life she loved giving to others. She gave gifts to teachers and friends for special occasions or sometimes, just because.”
Tragically, Maggie unexpectedly passed away on April 15, 2019. Just one month before her death, Maggie registered to be an organ donor when she received her drivers permit. Her mom says it is a decision Maggie made without hesitation.
“On the day of her passing, we received a call about donating Maggie’s corneas,” says Kimberly. “Without question we said yes, knowing the opportunity to restore someone’s eyesight would be her greatest gift of all.”
Maggie’s generosity allowed two people to receive corneal transplants. The recipients wrote Kimberly to thank her for the gift of restored eyesight. Frank, a grandfather who has struggled with his sight for over 20 years, told Kimberly, “The gift your daughter gave me will always be appreciated.”
Maggie’s unselfish gift even had a global impact. Rhengu, a mom in China who was unable to work after losing her vision, says, “Your daughter is so beautiful, kind, and generous. Without her donation, I wouldn’t have my present life and would continue to live in the dark.”
Though the pain of losing her youngest child is still extremely difficult, Kimberly treasures her memories of Maggie. “She wasn’t a chatty teenager, but she was wise beyond her years,” Kimberly says. “My favorite memory is when she was elected freshman maid in homecoming court. She was beautiful as she was escorted by her father. Maggie was so happy in that moment. It was breathtaking.”
Kimberly takes comfort knowing Maggie is seeing the world through the eyes of her cornea recipients. “I know Maggie is smiling from heaven because God allowed her to give one last gift. She is now seeing the beauty of the world through the eyes of others,” Kimberly says.
Kimberly views organ, eye, and tissue donation as a way to give one of life’s greatest gifts. “To me, donating an organ is one of the ultimate gifts you can give,” she says. “If someone else may benefit from something you have, then why not?”
You can make a difference by registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor at www.advancingsight.org or use the Health app on your iPhone.
Help others today by making a financial gift to Advancing Sight Network. As a nonprofit organization, we appreciate the support of our community to help restore sight. Give today at www.advancingsight.org/give-financially.
by ASN | May 11, 2020 | Donor Month, Share Your Story
Dave Smith never did anything halfway. From creating intricate sets for schools and church productions to building a business, Dave put his entire heart into everything he did. It came naturally to him, especially with his wife, Jackie, at his side every step of the way. They worked together, played together and laughed together as true soul mates, together since their teenage years. They declared 2018 to be the year of their “renaissance belle” – their new beginning. That’s why his sudden passing that year, at only age 50, was so especially gutting.
“Everyone says and remembers nice things about someone who passes away, but Dave was special,” says Jackie. “He was a visionary and a creator. He was intelligent and generous and an amazing husband and father.”
Jackie did have one complaint – She could never give gifts as well as him. She recalled one present in particular that she holds close to her heart. Dave, an outstanding artist and visionary, spent weeks working on it. On Christmas Eve, the day they always opened presents as a family, Jackie unwrapped an action figure like no other. It was made of pieces and parts of others, crafted and painted to look exactly like her. It came complete in a box with action figure accessories, a tiny bible and scrabble board, as well as a written description of her on the back of the box. “You’d believe it could be on a store shelf,” Jackie said.
“It was no wonder that he was able to give something even after his passing, especially a gift that would change lives of two complete strangers,” continued Jackie. “He had beautiful, blue eyes that saw things in a way that no one else could. His eyes were so important to who he was, and giving those to someone else is my way of honoring him.”
Dave suffered a heart attack on Thanksgiving night after spending a wonderful day with his family. Jackie remembers feeling like the air was sucked out of the house as she heard it happening, and she still doesn’t feel like it returned. She still longs for her husband and feels like she’s missing a piece of herself, but she knows in her heart that everything happens as part of a greater plan.
“We are put on this Earth for a reason. I believe that reason is to give. It means so much to me that he’s still giving through his donation.”
When asked what she would say if she could meet the two people who are seeing as a result of her husband’s cornea donation, Jackie said, “Dave’s eyes were so precious. He used them to watch over his family and create beautiful art. I’d tell his recipients Dave’s story, and I’d ask them to seek the things he loved and to work to see things creatively, just as he did.”
For months after Dave’s passing, Jackie found love notes he left her around the house, and on the Christmas Eve almost exactly one month later, she found his final gift: a beautiful, red coat hidden in his closet for her.
Today, Jackie continues to chase her renaissance belle. “I’m finding my new beginning by giving to others and digging through ashes to find beauty.” She looks forward to a life with her new grandchild. “We were supposed to do this together,” Jackie remarked. “I know he gets to see what we are all accomplishing, and he is proud of us.”
Jackie knows that Dave’s story can’t be fully told in an article or anecdote. That’s why she’s been inspired and drawn to write his story in a novel that she’s titled Renaissance Belle. With an expected publish date in late 2020, stay tuned for more of this story of love, generosity and vision.
by ASN | May 1, 2020 | Donor Month, Share Your Story
We caught up with Howell Bigham just a few weeks after he wrote thank you letters to two very special families. As he writes these letters each year, he appreciates doing so without the need for eyeglasses.
Howell’s vision problems began in fourth grade. Howell, his twin brother, and his mother struggled with Fuchs’ Dystrophy, an eye disease that eventually leads to vision loss. It made his favorite activities like reading, writing, and working in the yard, incredibly difficult. As his vision continued to deteriorate into his mid-fifties, he found himself struggling to do simple tasks.
“It reached the point where I was almost legally blind. It was unsafe for me to drive,” said Howell.
As his condition continued to worsen, Howell was informed that he needed a cornea transplant in both eyes. While eager to have better eyesight, the prospect of surgery frightened him.
After meeting with Dr. John Parker at Parker Cornea, the surgery was scheduled for his left eye and then a few months later, his right. Thanks to the generous donations of corneal tissue, Dr. Parker was able to perform two successful transplant surgeries that changed Howell’s life.
Post-surgery, Howell realized the fear and anxiety he had felt were unnecessary. “The surgery didn’t hurt. The most difficult part was lying on my back for 48 hours following each transplant,” he said. It was a small price to pay to transition from nearly legally blind to seeing clearly without glasses.
These days, Howell’s life has done a complete turn-around. At nearly 60, he spends the majority of his time reading – without the assistance of the glasses he’d worn since the fourth grade. He’s also in the midst of editing his novel, a fiction crime thriller. Howell says this would have been nearly impossible prior to his surgery.
“These days, I spend my time writing, reading, and seeing the beauty of the mountains in the fall and the ocean in the summer and clouds in the sky,” said Howell. “Also, I can recognize people now after my surgery. Before I couldn’t even recognize the face of someone I knew!”
After 33 years of preaching the Gospel full-time, Howell transitioned to working full time with the Good Samaritan Hospice in Florence, Alabama as their Chaplain and as a Community Education Specialist.
“Without my transplants, this would’ve been impossible,” says Howell. “My transplants have allowed me to enjoy life more as my wife Jackie and I visit our two grown children, Jonathan and Hannah. In fact, I will be performing the wedding ceremony for our daughter Hannah this August. Needless to say, it would’ve been extremely difficult to do this without the selfless sacrifice of two wonderful people- my donors.”
Howell knows this change couldn’t have come without the sacrifice of two very special donors. That’s why he uses his God-given talent of writing to express his gratitude via letters each year. He thanks his donor families for making decisions that improved his entire quality of life.
“I’d love to meet face to face and try to adequately express just how much their loved one has positively changed my life. I’d like to say to them that their family member lives on through their donation,” said Howell.
While Howell has never met his donors’ families in person, he feels close to them. He isn’t sure how he can say “thank you” enough for their gift, but he knows that his letters are a great start.
Make a difference today by registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor. Use the Health app on your iPhone, register here, or sign up when you renew your driver’s license.
by ASN | May 1, 2020 | Donor Month, Share Your Story
Jeffrey Payne takes charge of life. As a retired corrections officer, father of four, grandfather of four more and husband to the love of his life, he didn’t have time for failing vision. (more…)
by ASN | Apr 9, 2020 | Donor Month, Share Your Story
Art is “in my blood,” says Charlie Busler. He’s been exhibiting and selling his paintings for over 40 years. His love for art began many years ago.
“I had lots of art supplies as a teenager. I still have an oil painting I painted in my teen years on a piece of scrap plywood from a construction site,” Charlie recalls.
When glaucoma and an autoimmune disorder caused severe, painful blisters in his right eye, Charlie was in danger of losing his eyesight. It’s a devastating loss for anyone, especially an artist.
Dr. Priscilla Fowler, UAB ophthalmologist and Advancing Sight Network board member, told Charlie he would need a corneal transplant to relieve the pain and restore his eyesight. “I watched Charlie lose time and productivity as an artist as his corneal condition worsened,” said Dr. Fowler. “It became clear that surgical intervention was our only option.”
“I did not have any concerns about the surgery because the blisters in my eye were so terribly painful,” Charlie remembers. “I have full confidence in Dr. Fowler and the Callahan Eye Hospital staff.”
Using donated corneal tissue, Dr. Fowler was able to perform a successful surgery. “Through the gift of a cornea donor, Charlie was able to receive a cornea transplant that restored his sight, and he is as productive as ever as an artist. His journey truly highlights the great impact that cornea transplantation and the restoration of sight can have on a person’s life,” she says.
Following his transplant, Charlie created brand new paintings for an exhibit at Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He describes it as the highpoint of his painting career.
“I was honored and humbled by the invitation to produce this show, and I worked for ten months creating never before seen paintings designed specifically for this gallery,” Charlie says. “It was a wonderful experience since I had great vision, seeing clearly, to produce the work.”
At the age of seventy, Charlie has no intention of slowing down anytime soon, and he continues to create beautiful art. The experience did prompt Charlie to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, something he had not done before his transplant.
To the families who donated their loved ones’ corneas, Charlie offers his humble thanks. “I received it as an important gift, and I would encourage everyone to consider becoming a donor,” he says.
Charlie’s work is available at Brown’s Fine Art and Framing in Jackson, Mississippi.
Make a difference today by registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor. Use the Health app on your iPhone, register here, or sign up when you renew your drivers license.
Partner with us to restore eyesight to as many people as possible by making a financial gift to Advancing Sight Network. Give online or mail your gift to Advancing Sight Network, Development Office, 500 Robert Jemison Road, Birmingham,
AL 35209.
by ASN | Jan 27, 2018 | Press Release, Share Your Story
Jane Bradley has always prided herself on being an independent woman. Without family nearby, Jane has lived alone for years. This was always a good fit for her, as she has always enjoyed spending time with her friends at the local community center as much as she did enjoying her quiet home. However, a shift in Jane’s health put her entire lifestyle in jeopardy.
After being diagnosed with keratoconus, a disease affecting the front of the eye, Jane’s vision dipped just above and below being legally blind in each eye. At first, she dismissed the idea of eye surgery – she was afraid of losing the little bit of vision she still had. She began to use hard contact lenses and glasses to correct her constantly worsening vision. But soon, even these were not enough. The lenses were painful and ineffective, and Jane felt her independence slipping away. She realized that soon, she would no longer be able to drive her car or continue her work as a legal assistant. Even more frightening, she worried she would lose the ability to live on her own and would have to rely on others for day-to-day activities.
In 2010, Jane was referred to Dr. Cameron Griffith at the Southern Eye Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She approached the appointment nervously, but had faith in her new doctor. After her first consultation, surgery was scheduled, and 10 short weeks later, Jane received her first corneal transplant. Dr. Griffith warned her that recovery would be slow and not to expect an immediate restoration of vision after surgery. Jane feared the worst – remaining legally blind in both eyes. However, when Dr. Griffith removed the patch after her first transplant that December, Jane’s eye immediately saw and registered the eye chart across the exam room.
“You have given me the best Christmas present anyone has ever given me!” she exclaimed.
Over the next several weeks, her vision improved even more. She was even able to see individual leaves on trees – something she didn’t even realize was possible. It was a profound moment of awakening for Jane. She was regaining the independence that almost slipped away entirely. Undergoing surgery in her other eye was a no-brainer for Jane. Dr. Griffith, who she calls her hero, performed it as well. Now her vision in each of her eyes is “absolutely incredible.”
Jane’s bilateral corneal transplants gave her more than just independence – they gave her a purpose. She now works to spread the word about corneal transplants and eye donation. Her book, My Pathway to the Light, Overcoming Legal Blindness, details her journey and aims to answer all of the questions she found herself asking before surgery.
“There are 285 million people around the world with some degree of visual impairment. There are people who need to learn about their vision problems. I wanted to share my story to help guide them. I think I can give them hope,” she said.
Jane’s surgery also inspired another message from her to others: “Please, please, please, if any part of your body is healthy, consider donation, because you can profoundly change someone’s life.”
The Alabama Eye Bank is pleased to partner with the Mississippi Lions Eye Bank to provide tissue for local corneal transplants.
