Gift of Sight Contest Winner
Thank you to all of our contest entrants. We truly enjoyed reading all of your essays. We hope you will soon enjoy the freedom of clear vision yourself!
Congratulations to our Gift Of Sight Contest winner...
BRANDON SHAPPELL
Please take the time to read Barbara Schappell’s touching essay about Brandon below.
Title: My son ... my hero
Author: Barbara Shappell
I would like to nominate my son, Brandon Shappell, for your contest.
Brandon has been nearsighted since he was 10. He is now 26, a cancer survivor and disabled.
One week before his 21st birthday he was diagnosed with testicular cancer with metastasis to his lungs and brain. He underwent an orchiectomy, three brain surgeries, a Gamma knife procedure, radiation and four months of in-patient chemotherapy at Hershey Medical Center.
Thankfully he is now cancer-free but suffers from seizures due to the scar tissue in his brain from the surgeries. This has rendered him disabled and unable to work. Therefore he does not have any eye care or dental benefits. Medicare covers his medical expenses but he will never be able to afford Laser surgery on the small amount of SSDI he gets.
His battle with cancer has depleted both his and my savings so this is the only way possible that he'll have this procedure. I've always wanted corrective surgery for myself (nearsighted too) also but feel that Brandon is more deserving than I so that's why I'm nominating him.
Please consider Brandon for your Gift of Sight contest. It would mean so much to both of us should you select him.
