Meet Sam, she is my best friend and sister wrapped in one amazing package, she has a resilient soul and is courageously navigating the challenges of losing her vision due to early-onset cataracts, while simultaneously dealing with symptoms of Congenital Aniridia and Glaucoma. Picture attempting to see and navigate life through an intensely foggy window, all the while still being extraordinarily sensitive to light and dark environments as well as having to take medication multiple times a day to try and maintain the health and function of the nerves that are responsible for sending signals from your eyes to your brain—that's the immense struggle Sam faces every day.

In order to clear her cloudy vision and get her to see again, Sam needs a specialized dual surgery that consists of cataract surgery and a recently FDA-approved procedure called “Artificial Iris Implantation”. Sam needs this specialized dual surgery because of her unique circumstances of not having irises at all in either eye (Congenital Aniridia), irises are the colored part of the eye whose function is to protect the pupils by regulating the amount of light that comes into the eye. As a result of having no irises, Sam can’t get the cataracts taken out without being replaced with the artificial irises because they happen to be the last barrier between her eyes and the outside world, removing them alone would greatly increase the risk of more problems occurring.

The groundbreaking procedure, known as "Artificial Iris Implantation”, along with the cataract surgery holds the promise to not only clear up and restore Sam's vision but to also help protect her eyes from the world around her and alleviate the extreme light and glare sensitivity she suffers from, this will in turn help Sam see at better levels than she ever has before and that will significantly enhance her quality of life. By crafting a custom set of irises specifically for Sam, this surgery allows for the artificial irises to mimic the look and function of a natural set of irises.

Unfortunately, insurance is denying coverage of the procedure and Sam has been told that the cost will need to come out of pocket. Sam has been exploring many different avenues and options in order to try to get this procedure done, including flying across the country to see a specialist in California along with others here in New York but as each effort has been met with road blocks and setbacks it has left Sam in a heart-wrenching predicament of not knowing where to turn to get the right help she needs in order to be able to afford this procedure, so we are reaching out to wonderful people such as yourself to seek any kind of support we can get.

Cataracts, which are typically associated with aging, have struck Sam prematurely, due to lifelong battles with Glaucoma and Congenital Aniridia. Sam was diagnosed with these eye diseases at only a few months old due to a very rare gene mutation that occurred when her mother caught chicken pox while still pregnant with her. Glaucoma, which there is no cure for, impacts various structural parts within and around Sam’s eyes, in turn greatly affecting her peripheral vision and depth perception among other things. Congenital Aniridia, as described above is the absence of irises, whose main function is to protect the pupils by regulating the amount of light that comes in; along with Sam being extraordinarily sensitive to light and glare, she also struggles when transitioning from light to dim or dark environments.

Sam has experienced this need for significant surgery before, when she was only 12 years old she was at very high risk of losing her vision due to extreme pressure being put on the nerves behind her eyes that are connected to and send signals to the brain. Fortunately she was able to get the surgery necessary to relieve the pressure on her nerves, it took 2 separate surgeries that took a toll on Sam at such a young age but since then she has been able to use medication to maintain a healthy pressure range on the nerves.

Anyone who knows Sam knows that she works extremely hard, has an incredibly caring nature, and puts others' needs ahead of her own. Sam faces the difficult reality every day of losing her vision with an unbelievably positive attitude, Despite enduring cloudy vision in about 95% of her right eye and 30-40% of her left eye, Sam tirelessly dedicates herself to being there for her family, and friends and to positively impacting the youth of NYC, she helps run and oversee sports programs, after school programs, and teaches basketball classes citywide, Sam has never let her disability define her and she always aims to educate those who may have questions or be curious about her differences.

Supporting Sam in obtaining this transformative procedure means contributing to a profound and life-changing opportunity. Your generosity will not only grant her clearer vision but also alleviate daily struggles with light and glare sensitivity, enabling her to rediscover the joy in simple activities along with discovering levels of independence that she has not been able to obtain thus far. Your kindness will empower Sam in so many ways and give her a new found confidence in herself, therefore allowing her to do both for herself and for those around her that she cares about at a much higher level.

Thank you for taking the time to read Sam’s story. Any contribution, whether through donations, prayers, or positive comments, is genuinely appreciated. Let's unite to help Sam envision a more clear future.