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Great Things are Possible
Carol Swatko admits that fundraising isn’t easy work. There are letters to write and phone calls to make. There are follow-ups and reminders. And with the challenging economic times, especially in a place like Las Vegas that has been hit hard by the downturn, people aren’t able to give as generously as they have in the past. But Carol has two siblings, Lora and Albert, who have lost most of their vision to retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and her mother has advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). So for the Swatkos, raising money for sight-saving research is a commitment to the family’s future. “At the end of the day, we know this is the one thing we can do to make a difference. We can’t not do this,” says Carol. “While it can be emotional letting people know how these diseases are affecting our family, it is important for us not to give up.”For the inaugural Las Vegas VisionWalk, the Swatkos brought in nearly $23,000, and they matched that success in 2009 for the second Las Vegas walk. The Swatkos have reached out to friends, family, and business colleagues to not only raise money, but raise awareness, as well. “Most people don’t know much about low vision,” says Carol. “We are going to get people in the community to stand up and notice, and learn about RP and these other diseases. And people need to know how gene therapy enabled a nine-year-old boy to put away his cane. Great things are possible.” While Lora and Albert weren’t diagnosed with RP until they were in their 30s, vision loss for both of them has progressed quickly. Albert, who is 53, can no longer recognize the faces of friends and family, but assistive technologies have enabled him to continue to work in the wholesale tire business. Forty-five year-old Lora has lost much of her peripheral vision, which has presented challenges in raising two children, ages five and seven. The kids are still too young to fully understand and appreciate her vision problems. When Lora bumps into something or can’t find an item she has dropped on the floor, the kids ask, “Can’t mommy get new eyes?” For Carol’s mom, injections of Lucentis are staving off significant vision loss from AMD, so she is still able to live independently, and help Lora and Albert out by driving and running errands. Carol also has a sibling, Mark, who fortunately has not been affected by RP. Carol hopes that in the near future, the Foundation can launch a Dining in the Dark in Las Vegas, because people in the community enjoy bigger, high-profile events. In the meantime, she is hosting her own pre-walk cocktail party in appreciation to all the people who support her and her family. “We are going to celebrate,” she says. “We will raise our glasses and toast to a cure. We’ll cry a little. And next year, we’ll do it all again.” |
