Help Joy Save Her Sight and Independence

Help My Mom Save Her Sight

Hi, my name is Michelle Manis, and I'm raising funds for my incredible mother, Joy — a dedicated teacher & interior designer and one of the most selfless people I know. For the past 15 years, she has been quietly battling a progressive eye disease that’s slowly stealing her vision. Now, she needs our help.

At just 48 years old, Joy developed dry macular degeneration (AMD) in both eyes, with advanced geographic atrophy (GA) in her left eye. Her condition threatens not only her independence, but also her job and quality of life. She works at a hospital in the Bronx, using her keen eye for detail to help create healing spaces for others. But without treatment, she risks losing the vision that makes her work—and so much else—possible.

There’s hope: a new FDA-approved light therapy called Valeda offers the chance to slow the progression of this disease. Unfortunately, the treatment isn’t covered by insurance, and the cost—$12,000 for a two-year course—is overwhelming. She will likely need to repeat the therapy in the future as well.

My goal is to lift the financial burden off her shoulders so she can focus fully on healing and maintaining her quality of life. Joy has always put others first and rarely asks for help. But now it’s her turn to receive.

This treatment offers a bridge of hope until even better, less invasive options become available. Every donation—big or small—gets her one step closer to preserving her sight and continuing the life she’s built with so much hard work and care.

Thank you so much for your support and kindness.

With gratitude,


Michelle