What are you thankful for?

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged in the United States as the feast that inspired the Thanksgiving. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. In 1863, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. Today, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends to remember what we are thankful for. In recognition of Thanksgiving, and as an appeal to donors in the US, this short video was created telling the story of Ester and Samuel, patients treated during ORBIS's 2012 Flying Eye Hospital Program in El Salvador.

The decision was made to treat Ester and Samuel, not just because their conditions provide stellar teaching cases, but also because of the dramatic and undeniable impact that vision would have on the entire family. ORBIS volunteer ophthalmologist Dr. Adolfo Guemes worked with the local medical team from El Salvador to restore their vision. "With one ‘hit’ you can change a local environment and make such an impact on a child's future. You can change their lives entirely. It's that simple," said Dr. Guemes. Watch the video to see their wonderful story. ORBIS is thankful Ester and Samuel have their vision. This year, what are YOU thankful for?

Photographs by: ORBIS Visual Communications Consultant, Geoff Oliver Bugbee