November is Eye Donation Month (EDM)!

We invite you to join us in celebrating Eye Donation Month. It is a special opportunity to honor cornea donor heroes and donor families, celebrate restored sight with cornea transplant recipients, recognize the important work of community eye banks and collaborate with healthcare professionals and community supporters on the Gift of Sight.

The Eye Bank Association of America announced that in aligning with the lyrics to the iconic 1972 Johnny Nash song, “I Can See Clearly Now”, the 2024 observance theme emphasizes the LITERAL outcome of eye donation – the ability to see, and the FIGURATIVE outcome of what people experience or “see now” as a donor family, recipient, or champion of eye donation. By combining the elements of actual vision, the metaphorical ability to see a new perspective of life and the world, and a distinct memorable song as a backdrop – we celebrate Eye Donation Month and spread the word about the transformative power of cornea donation and transplantation.

A few ways you can join us in celebrating the observance :

Chalk It Up - join alongside hospital partners and donor families in chalking messages of support on sidewalks and walkways

Visit our Donate Life, Gift of Sight tables at community events in San Antonio on November 2 - Mission Marquee/Dia de Arbol and November 2 - Loteria, Hosted by Sunset Memorial Park Funeral Home

Support Eyes of the Valley: A Legacy of Sight Exhibit Unveilings in Rio Grande Valley on November 14 and November 21

Support National Donor Sabbath presentation at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church with San Antonio Chapter of The Links, Inc. on November 17 (email info@saeyebank.org for additional details)

Print the EDM poster featuring Josie & Julian. Post it on a neighborhood community board / staff breakroom / local coffee shop community board

You can also follow us on social media to re-share and like our EDM posts throughout the month, host a Donate Life Gift of Sight Flag Raising, or contact us if you want to explore more ideas and opportunities.

Quilt Libraries for Life

We appreciate the community libraries that have again joined in celebrating Eye Donation Month through our Quilt Libraries for Life program. Beginning November 1st, the libraries listed below are displaying Gift of Sight Memorial Quilt Blankets, along with Donate Life, Gift of Sight educational brochures.

Books on the shelves of libraries are filled with stories and information for readers in the community. It is our hope that in reading and viewing the stories of donor heroes, viewers will be inspired to further educate themselves on the donation cause and consider registering as a donor.

·       Collins Garden Library - 200 N Park Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78204

·       Great Northwest Library - 9050 Wellwood, San Antonio, TX 78250

·       Guerra Library - 7978 Military Dr. W., San Antonio, TX 78227

·       Leon Valley Public Library - 6425 Evers Rd., Leon Valley, TX 78238

·       Maverick Library - 8700 Mystic Park, San Antonio, TX 78254

·       McCreless Library - 1023 Ada St, San Antonio, TX 78223

·       Potranco Library - 8765 TX-151 Access Rd, San Antonio, TX 78245

·       Cortez Library - 2803 Hunter Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78224

·       Westfall Library - 6111 Rosedale Court, San Antonio, TX 78201

·       Thousand Oaks Library - 4618 Thousand Oaks Dr., S.A., TX 78233

·       Forest Hills Library - 5245 Ingram Rd., San Antonio, TX 78228

·       Cody Library - 11441 Vance Jackson Rd., San Antonio, TX 78230

·       Carver Library - 3350 E. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78220

·       San Pedro Library - 1315 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212

If you are a patron of one of the above stated libraries, please share with the librarian or manager your appreciation for their support of Eye Donation Month.

Celebrating Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not specifically a part of Eye Donation Month activities. Nonetheless, we've celebrated the holiday that is traditionally celebrated in early November, with donor families and our community members for several years.

Thank you to the families who attended and captured photos of the RGV Bridging Lives - Gift of Sight Altar in Edinburg, Texas during the Los Muertos Bailan Block Party on October 26.

In the RGV, we are also hosting altars at The Kelsey Bass Museum in Rio Grande City, Texas and Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum in Harlingen, Texas.

Our SA Bridging Lives - Gift of Sight Altar will be open for the community beginning on November 2nd at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. We have hosted the altar for over a decade thanks to our partnership with the center. For additional details on all of the altars, view the poster summary here.