HELPING THE BLIND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 October 1940, Page 8

HELPING THE BLIND

ACTIVITIES OF ST DUNSTAN’S. ■ FRESH BURDENS FROM PRESENT WAR. > “I confess to the most poignant heartbreak in the presence of these boys and more particularly when they show such a zest for life and an interest in their surroundings and outlook,” says Sir lan Fraser, M.P., a veteran blinded soldier himself of the Great War, in the report for the year ended March 31, 1940, of St Dunstan's, of which he is chairman, “I have been with blinded men for twenty-four years now, since I lost my own sight on the Somme in 1916,” he continues, ‘and knowing how, in the atmosphere of St Dunstan’s, we recovered our nerve and our spirit, and how, as the years passed by, my 3,000 comrades of the old war came back to life and normality and activity, I may perhaps be considered to have got used to blindness —to have become tough.” It is a tragic thought, the report adds, that the history of 1914-18 must be written again and newly-blinded men addqd to our ranks, but there is comfort in the knowledge that eye casualties of the present war have the experience and tradition of St Dunstan’s at their service.

These young men of the present war who have lost their sight are conquering blindness. A fighting spirit animates the blinded lads to conquer blindness, and makes them feel that St Dunstan’s is a House of Hope and ' Opportunity. Many professions and handicrafts will be taught at St Dunstan’s but some of the young men are keen to enter munitions and other factories. Fruitful research which will make this possible is proceeding. The report enumerates the fresh burdens that the present war has imposed on St Dunstan’s. Dominion troops—Sir lan says—are taking their place in the active defence of the Mother Country; their eye casualties will be cared for by St Dunstan’s. So also will members of the Merchant Service and regular policemen and firemen blinded by enemy action, because they belong to uniformed quasi-military services.

At the request of the Ministry of Health, St Dunstan’s is to take civilian eye cases that might arise out of air raids, or amongst the personnel of the fishing fleets, through enemy action, for medical - and surgical treatment, and provide them with that early rehabilitation and adjustment to blindness which is so essential. Sir lan adds: "St Dunstan’s will remain primarily a service institution, and first amongst the claims upon our reserves will be the essential needs of the veterans to whom assurances of lifelong care have been given. We think our subscribers will agree that these assurances were right.” The inevitable consequences of these assurances with the fresh responsibilities, however, is that new funds must be collected for the new work of St Dunstan’s.