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This podcast was produced in partnership with our sponsor, Essilor.
Have you ever been inspired by someone to reach higher, give back, and achieve more? What if I told you that someone was ten years old. Meet Ella Osborne, a take-charge elementary school student that has dedicated her young life to helping give others the gift of sight.
Diagnosed with congenital cataracts and amblyopia at three months old, Ella’s eyecare journey has included atropine drops, patch therapy, and yes, glasses. She received her first pair at two years of age. While achieving her best vision has been a battle, Ella is acutely aware that not every child is so lucky. “One in four children has vision problems that could affect learning,” Ella cites when asked why she was inspired to start giving back. After experiencing the success of her local elementary school’s jog-a-thon charity event, Ella made it her mission to create a fundraiser of her own. The Vision Fun Run was born!
This past May marked the charity’s third year, with all proceeds going to the KEX Kids Fund of the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. Ella’s big idea has raised over $13,000 for children’s access to visioncare and glasses so far. If that wasn’t enough, Ella is also passionate about legislating for eyecare access in her community. She helped lobby Oregon elected officials to get Senate Bill 187 passed, legislating vision screenings for school-aged children in the state of Oregon.
What’s next for Ella? She wants to continue growing Vision Fun Run and hopes to expand the program to more communities both within Oregon and across the US. When she grows up, her passion is to become a pediatric ophthalmologist, and after her stint in legislative action, who knows, maybe the President.
If you would like to help support Ella’s cause, please head to the Vision Fun Run website for details on how you can participate, donate or volunteer. As the event grows, volunteers are needed more than ever to help make the event a success!
The Difference Makers Podcast Series is brought to you by Essilor of America. Essilor’s corporate mission is improving lives by improving sight, and this year Essilor is shining a light on Difference Makers in eye care – those people who are doing their part to improve lives by improving sight. In each Difference Makers episode, we’ll interview someone who is making a difference in eyecare through their unique story and passion for giving back. By partnering with schools, eyecare professionals, nonprofit charities, and community leaders, Essilor Vision Foundation is able to provide vision exams and glasses to children in need. To learn more go to https://www.evfusa.org/.
