We treated our 16th millionth patient in April 2009 – Ali Hamza
Growing up in slums of Karachi offered little opportunity for little Ali.
As further odds against ever having a chance in life, Ali started to lose his eye-sight at the age of 6 and two years later his parents took him to a local doctor who diagnosed cataract in both his eyes.
The cost of the Surgery was $ 200 (PKR 16,000) which was almost 3 times his father’s salary.
His father was faced with a stark choice : either starving his family of 8 for months or letting Ali go blind and with a heavy heart he chose the latter. Ali’s dreams were shattered and he was resigned to remain in darkness forever.
But his destiny was to change the day a dear friend of his father advised him to take his son to LRBT’s Free eye care Hospital in Korangi, Karachi.
At LRBT’s Korangi hospital after thorough examination his surgery was performed in one eye and his parents were asked to come back after three months for the second eye.
It was a joyful day when Ali was able to see the world again in all its beautiful colors. Off he went, laughing and crying at the same time!
Ali now wishes to become a security guard just like his father and help him in supporting his family.
According to his father all his children face eye-problems and since now he knows a safety net for poor people like him, he will bring the remaining four to LRBT soon and get them treated too- without paying a single penny.