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World Glaucoma Week 2014
Jillia Bird OD, President, WGPA and Geoff Pollard, National Executive Officer, Glaucoma Australia; Caribbean Coordinator, World Glaucoma Week
Countries are already preparing for the 6th World Glaucoma Week observance to be held March 9–15, 2014. The WGA and WGPA will continue their joint initiative to expand global awareness of the Silent Thief of Sight, when they launch their 'BIG – is Beat Invisible Glaucoma' campaign. Relentlessly pursuing their goal of having a BIG network of global glaucoma awareness, the WGA–WGPA tag team emphasizes that even in 2014, too many people are still unaware they have the disease. Hopes are high for both organizations that 2014 will see an increase in the number of countries that reported itemized awareness activities on the WGW website in previous years. Reiterating the urgency for a spurt of growth in global awareness of the disease, author of the 2014 theme, National Executive Officer of GLAUCOMA AUSTRALIA, Geoff Pollard asserts:
"Low glaucoma detection rates and an increase in glaucoma prevalence as populations age mean BIG solutions are needed to educate communities about glaucoma awareness and the need for regular optic nerve checks to reduce global blindness – that's why I support the "BIG – is Beat Invisible Glaucoma" campaign for World Glaucoma Week 2014."
The main collaborative community-based event planned this year, is a B–I–G simultaneous (as time zones will allow) Global Breakfast on World Glaucoma Day. Visualized as a global 'tag team event', the B–I–G BREAKFAST will hopefully see participating countries hosting fundraising breakfast events adjacent to famous landmarks for maximum PR. Families unable to journey to far–flung locations will be encouraged to participate by serving breakfasts in their own homes and communities. Plans are also afoot to engage popular iconic breakfast franchisees such as McDonalds, KFC and Subway to get involved as we seek to grow public awareness of the emerging role of nutrition for neuroprotection in glaucoma.
The WGA/WGPA team encourages one and all to get involved in a B–I–G way in 2014.
