Mrs. Vedder is on a Mission to Save Vision

November 13 was World Kindness Day, to celebrate we're sharing the heartwarming story of Mrs. Leslys Vedder. She’s on a mission to make healthy sight possible across the globe in memory of her late husband, Jim.

Mrs. Vedder has always cherished giving back to those in need, but the deep love she shared with her husband, Dr. James (Jim) Forrest Vedder, is what has inspired her to join the fight against avoidable blindness.

​​Jim suffered from visual impairment his entire life—he had an accident as a child and needed a prosthetic eye. But he wasn’t able to get the prosthetic until later in life, when he was studying at the University of California, Berkeley.

Because of this, the Vedders became passionate about helping others unable to access the eye care they need, especially children.

Jim was a research scientist and spent most of his professional career working in the aeronautics and space administration field while living with Leslys in California. He retired in 1992, and later became an astute archeologist working around the world.

Married for 44 years at the time of Jim’s passing, Leslys knew just what to do to keep her late husband’s memory alive. She decided to continue Jim’s dedication to transforming the lives of babies and children through Orbis’s work around the world. We couldn’t be more grateful for her support!

Mrs. Vedder’s giving has supported Orbis’s work with babies in Peru to address one of the leading causes of childhood blindness worldwide—Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). ROP is a condition that causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in the retina, causing it to detach from the back of the eye. Without proper treatment, it will lead to vision loss or blindness.

Thanks to supporters like Leslys, Orbis is able to screen and treat premature babies who are at risk of permanent visual impairment due to ROP. That includes these adorable triplets Ruth, Ester, and Sara.

In honor of World Kindness Day and the upcoming Giving Tuesday, Leslys is proud to take her incredible commitment to the fight against avoidable blindness even further. Every dollar donated to Orbis between now and Giving Tuesday will be matched up to $100,000 thanks to the unbelievable kindness of Mrs. Vedder!

This means every dollar donated will have double the impact and help Mrs. Vedder carry on her family’s tradition of generosity and passion for helping babies and children.

The profound generosity of people like Dr. and Mrs. Vedder will make a difference in thousands of lives and for generations to come. We couldn’t be more grateful to have supporters like the Vedders—and like you—in our corner.

We wish a happy World Kindness Day to all, and we hope you will consider celebrating by joining Mrs. Vedder and doubling your impact today!