The Galway Garden Festival and CBM Ireland.

All profits from the gate of the Galway Garden Festival will be donated to the Christian Blind Mission, Ireland, (CBM)

and The Galway Hospice Foundation.

CBM is an international Christian development organization, committed to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world.

Facts about CBM Ireland & World Blindness

• CBM's vision is to achieve an inclusive world in which all people with disabilities enjoy their human rights and achieve their full potential.

• CBM has 1,000 relief projects in over 100 countries and works together with more than 700 partners in developing countries.

• 90% of people who are blind live in the poorest parts of the developing world.

• 80% of blindness is treatable or preventable.

• Cataract is the single largest cause of blindness in the world and is responsible for half of world blindness, which represents around 18 million people. A 15 minute cataract operation costs just €30 for an adult and €120 for a child.

• River Blindness, caused by a parasitic worm spread by the blackfly, has infected 17 million people and another 40 million are at risk. The infection can be treated, but once blindness occurs, it is irreversible. One dose of Mectizan®, costing just €1 to provide (or €10 for a complete course), will halt the advance of blindness.

• Trachoma has claimed the sight of around six million people. Re-infection can occur many times, causing the eye lid to turn under, scarring the cornea with every painful blink. In time, the eye becomes so badly damaged that blindness is inevitable and irreversible. Trachoma quickly spreads through families and communities. It costs just €3 to provide enough Tetracycline eye ointment to treat a whole family.

• Vitamin A Deficiency can cause permanent blindness and has resulted in 1.5 million children losing their sight. This year an estimated 350,000 children will go blind. This can be prevented with two or three vitamin capsules per year. Each tablet costs 45cent. CBM distributed over 1,265,000 vitamin A tablets last year.

• Vision 2020: the Right to Sight has as its goal, the eradication of all preventable and curable blindness by the year 2020. In 1997 the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised CBM as a professional agency in the prevention of blindness. CBM concentrates on performing cataract operations, the control of eye infections and prevention of childhood blindness as well as training for eye care personnel. CBM is proud to be a founding member of this global partnership. For more information about Vision 2020 please visit www.v2020.org

CBM Ireland
M:TEK Building
Knockaconny
Monaghan
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)47 71820
Fax:+353 (0)47 71822
Web: www.cbm.ie
Registered Charity No: 14987