Cure Blindness Project Establishes Inaugural Unsung Hero Award

New Honor Celebrates Extraordinary Leadership to End Avoidable Blindness

NORWICH, Vt., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cure Blindness Project, a global leader in eliminating avoidable blindness, marked World Sight Day on Thursday, October 8, by establishing the Unsung Hero Award, a new honor created to recognize a transformative supporter whose extraordinary generosity and enduring commitment have helped change the course of global eye health.

The award was created to honor an individual who has chosen to remain anonymous, yet whose impact is anything but unseen. Through sustained philanthropy, this remarkable supporter has helped restore sight, strengthen health systems, and transform lives on a scale few individuals ever achieve. The Unsung Hero Award celebrates not only the extraordinary results of this generosity, but also the quiet leadership behind them.

In the past three years alone, the donor's support has helped cure the blindness of more than 600,000 people, representing more than 3% of the estimated 17 million people worldwide who are currently blind from cataracts. Beyond this surgical impact, the donor's support has helped train eye care personnel at all levels across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, building stronger eye health systems.

"The Unsung Hero Award honors an extraordinary individual whose generosity has helped us reach more people, strengthen health systems and cure blindness on a truly remarkable scale," says K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project. "We are deeply honored to recognize a supporter whose commitment has made a lasting difference in the lives of countless people."

The inaugural honoree, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has supported efforts to expand quality eye care, reach underserved communities, strengthen eye care facilities, and train local professionals. The impact extends far beyond individual surgeries—helping people return to school and work, care for their families and participate more fully in their communities.

The Unsung Hero Award recognizes the multiplier effect of sustained philanthropy: the power to cure blindness today while building the people, systems and capacity needed to provide care for generations to come.

"Eliminating avoidable blindness is not the work of one organization or one individual," says Overbey. "It takes skilled health professionals, strong local partners and people who believe that where someone is born should not determine whether they can see. Our inaugural Unsung Hero has demonstrated what is possible when that belief is matched by extraordinary generosity and sustained commitment."

"Every person whose blindness is cured represents a life opened to greater possibility," Overbey adds. "We are profoundly grateful to our inaugural Unsung Hero for helping make this extraordinary achievement possible—and for believing in a world where avoidable blindness does not have to define anyone's future."

To learn more about Cure Blindness Project and how you can help expand access to sight-restoring care around the world, visit www.cureblindness.org.

About Cure Blindness Project
Founded as Himalayan Cataract Project, Cure Blindness Project today celebrates more than 30 years of restoring sight. What began in Nepal has grown into a global effort reaching more than 30 countries through high-quality eye care, education, and the development of world-class eye care infrastructure. Together with partners, Cure Blindness Project has provided more than 2 million sight-restoring surgeries and screenings and basic care to more than 20 million people. To learn more, visit www.cureblindness.org.

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SOURCE Cure Blindness Project