Specsavers Opticas have announced that they will be supporting the Once Foundation for the Deaf-Blind (La Fundación ONCE para la Atención de Personas con Sordoceguera – FOAPS) over the next six months. They will be offering free comprehensive eye tests at all eight of their opticians and asking patients to donate 1€ to FOAPS after their test until the end of the year.
All funds raised will be donated to FOAPS to fund interpreters who are crucial to allow deaf-blind people to lead a full life and communicate. This is part of FOAPS’ 10 year anniversary campaign to raise awareness of the issues that deaf-blind people face and boost funding so they can help more of these vulnerable people who are totally isolated without their help.
Specsavers Opticas are committed to supporting charities and protecting sight. They have chosen FOAPS to support because of the huge difficulties that the deaf-blind have with interacting with the world and communicating.
“Most visually impaired people are able to rely on their other senses and can still communicate easily with the outside world. Whereas the deaf-blind experience the world through touch and need someone to connect them with the world.” explains José Ángel Moral-Tajadura from Specsavers Opticas. “The FOAPS interpreters are the eyes, ears and often voice of the deaf-blind and have a crucial role to play. We hope that through our campaign we can raise enough money to fund an extra 400 hours of an interpreter. This costs 6,000€ so we need 6,000 people to come in and have their eyes tested and make a donation before the end of the year.”
Esther Requena Olea, Director of FOAPS commented, “We are very happy that an international company such as Specsavers has decided to collaborate with our cause. The needs of the Deaf-Blind people are very specific and requires a lot of resources. With the funds raised from this campaign, we can offer more support to them to break the isolation and communication problems with the outside world that is a common problem for the Deaf-Blind.”
To participate in the campaign, visit your nearest store for a comprehensive eye test and donate just 1€ between July and December 2017. Specsavers Opticas have eight stores in Spain, on the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and in Mallorca. Visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest store.
