RP International Donates Proceeds from Song, “No Child Left Behind,”
To Blind And Visually Disabled Hurricane Refugee Needs

Contact : Mary Ellen Sanders (818) 992-0631
Email : Info@VisionAwards.org

KCOP/FOX, DIRECTV AND DISH TO PREMIERE “NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND” SONG RECORDING ON VISION AWARDS “SAVE OUR SIGHT” NATIONAL BROADCAST – SEPTEMBER 24TH/25TH

A new song being distributed to schools, universities and organizations for the blind and disabled will now raise funds for visually impaired victims of Hurricane Katrina.Plans for release of the “No Child Left Behind” / “Leave The Light On” theme song has been underway for over six months, says RPI’s President, Helen Harris, who is blind and hopeful that the proceeds from the new song will raise funds, specifically towards the needs of the blind caught up in the Katrina disaster.With the hurricane occurring nearly on the same date as the release of the “back to school program” for the detection of blindness, the Board of Directors of RP International decided immediately to donate one half of the proceeds of the sale of the recording to Katrina hurricane victims who are blind and visually disabled, many of whom are homeless now and probably alone.

The theme song includes two messages.No child should be left behind because of invisible blindness, and no child should live with the fear of permanent darkness.It carries a message of hope for the reversal of blindness, while the search for a cure goes on.The light will eventually come back on, through the breakthrough computer chip implant, cell transplant and new drugs fronted by RP International’s bold and persistent campaigns pushing research since 1972.The first symptoms are night blindness and bumping into things, constant trips to the emergency ward and misunderstanding of behavior by friends, family, and educators, literally leaving these children left behind.

By calling 1-800-FIGHT-RP, RP International is offering to advise Katrina victims that are visually disabled and have special needs, providing them with new white canes, sunglasses, audio components and items.The blind and visually impaired from the affected areas, often in wheelchairs, cannot find food and toilet facilities on their own.Many have lost white canes, Braille records, audio list of phone numbers and other vital information.These survivors need special assistance that could be life saving.Also, volunteers currently helping survivors need special training so they can be most productive when dealing with the disabled.

To aid in the disaster relief, RP International has collected several hundred pairs of eyeglasses.The glasses need an optometrist to state on the lens the strength of the glasses, so they can be shipped to centers for distribution.Funds for shipping are needed and an optometrist is required for the medical details of each pair collected by RP International to date.White canes are being collected as RP International puts a call out to the manufacturers of white canes to donate.They are sized for each victim, as white canes are useful only when they match the height and ability of the user. When complete, the patient with visual loss can become pretty mobile.Official mobility instructors are needed to train volunteers and physicians, as well as family members, and perhaps some of the blind in the location who did not seek help prior to the flood.

The song, “No Child Left Behind,” will make its international television debut on RP International’s Vision Awards annual telecast being broadcast on September 24th// and 25th to over 80 million homes.On this year’s 32nd Annual Vision Awards,Hollywood’s top directors and producers will help introduce the first-ever national Television Eye Test that will help aid early detection of oncoming blindness in children, and the now known precaution of wearing UV protected lenses.Other information, including the macular degeneration test, which will be featured on-air, can be downloaded at www.VisionAwards.org.

The 2- hour broadcast includes awards for outstanding achievement in film, television, music and technology.Honorees include Jamie Foxx, Alec Baldwin, Gena Rowlands, music legend Clive Davis, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Red Buttons and Director Taylor Hackford.Also honored are some of today’s top television shows and motion pictures which have been described for the blind, receiving honors on this “Hollywood Cures Blindness” gala presentation.

This broadcast is the 2nd Annual airing of the 32 year-old Vision Award. Because of the noticeably increasing numbers of people now developing macular degeneration and losing precious eyesight, RP International, which hosts the Vision Awards, now receives calls from people as young as thirty with juvenile macular degeneration.“Thirty seven million people now have no ability to read print,” says RP International’s founder Helen Harris, herself now blinded from one of the degenerative blinding diseases, Retinitis Pigmentosa. Harris and Hollywood joined hands over 32 years ago, when two of her three sons were diagnosed with the same degenerative disease.

Now that The Vision Awards is set to air on television, Harris hopes that it will not only salute Hollywood’s top film, television and music artists, but that it will bring home awareness about programs in schools and employment environments so that adjustments can be made quickly when someone is diagnosed.Adds Harris, “Listening to the “sounds of the darkness” is a way of life for 26 million forty-year-olds and older and another three million children suffering from impending destructive blindness.Our goal with this telecast and the song is to help the hurricane victims that have special needs, and also bring attention to the need for immediate eye exams in schools using a simple tool—the Amsler grid, which detects macular degenerative and retinitis pigmentosa.

The song “No Child Left Behind” can be purchased at www.visionawards.org, with proceeds going to Katrina victims. Visually impaired families affected by the hurricane can call, toll free, 1-800-FIGHT-RP to get information on where to get help, as well replacement white canes and special needs items.Aids for the blind facilities are nationwide and the Departments of Rehabilitation for the blind are located in each state, and can be found in the database of RP International and available at the toll free number.

RP International is the nation’s leading non-profit organization fighting blindness and degenerative eye diseases.For further information and donations, write RP International, P.O. Box 900, Woodland Hills, CA 91365, email RPInt@pacbell.net or visit the Vision Awards website at: www.VisionAwards.org