Anne Mok
Eye Hero | April | Anne Mok-Purpose in View
Even though Anne knew from her childhood that “something wasn’t quite right” with her eyes, the optometrists were unable to figure out what the problem was. After 8 years of back and forths and continuously worrying about her sanity, Anne was diagnosed with cone rod dystrophy, a rare inherited disease that slowly erases the light-sensing cells of the retina. Cones, responsible for color and central vision, are fading first, followed by the rods which are responsible for night vision and peripheral vision. Since then Anne has taken proactive measures to train and navigate life with vision loss. By finding confidence ands olace in support groups and community sharing, she is now a TEDx speaker, author, and is dedicated to reshaping the narrative around living a purposeful life despite vision loss.
Rachel Mackenzlee
Eye Hero | March | Rachel Mackanzlee
Even after losing an eye to retinoblastoma as a child, Rachel’s spirit was unmatched. But as years passed, school bullies and anonymous tormentors online began to erode her once-unshakeable confidence. In these moments of darkness, an unexpected source of light emerged, a young, beautiful blonde girl who Rachel could not imagine living her life feeling the way she was feeling. In an attempt to save the young girl, Rachel ultimately saved her own spirit and restored her belief in herself.