Right to Sight for Life
WHEREAS, the people affected by oncoming blindness have worked for more than 40 years to preserve and restore sight; Retinitis Pigmentosa International and its volunteers have successfully brought medical research to blindness; and
WHEREAS, eye research now moves swiftly to search for eyesight loss and to agree that the adult stem cell research as well as other research organizations have a reasonable attitude that sight loss becomes a priority for the 20 million who suffer from macular degeneration Retinitus Pigmentosa and other blinding eye diseases; and
WHEREAS, in 1972, Helen Harris and family underwrote and instituted research as well as TheatreVision, an art form in audio description of film; and
WHEREAS, Forrest Gump was the first film to be described and the script written by the blind founder Helen Harris with the assistance of volunteers; and
WHEREAS, Vin Scully did the reading of the first TheatreVision audio description for the blind; and
WHEREAS, Forrest Gump was then shown as the first film in a motion picture theatre with headsets provided by the theatre concession for the general public; and
WHEREAS, RP International diligently continues their commitment to support its primary successful research surgical restoration of sight as was successfully completed in 1984; and
WHEREAS, the two-prong approach to find cure for blindness while providing a new innovative outlet for the already blind, called TheatreVision audio description film, stage plays the academy awards show delivered by radio and satellite to the nation’s blind; and
WHEREAS, President George H.W. Bush described “It’s A Wonderful Life” in its entirety; NBC airs “It’s A Wonderful Life” with the President’s description every year courtesy of TheatreVision description of film; and
WHEREAS, “The Right to Sight for Life” continues to secure and restore eyesight while providing quality of life audio description and continuous search for a cure for blindness, offering hope to millions:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the year of 2014, as
Right to Sight for Life
in the state of Alabama.
Provided by the Office of the Governor of Alabama | governor.alabama.gov