Illinois Eye-Bank and EBAA to Honor Alex Scarbro, Cornea Donor, at Annual Run for Vision

CHICAGO - Oct. 16, 2014 - PRLog -- Chicago, IL (October 16, 2014) – Held each year, the Run for Vision 5K is an opportunity for members of the ophthalmology and eye banking communities to come together in support of the Eye Bank Association of America’s (EBAA) efforts to restore sight worldwide.  More than 300 runners participate annually in support of this worthy cause.  Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Bausch + Lomb, which underwrites the event’s costs, 100% of the proceeds flow to EBAA; in its 29 years, the Run for Vision has raised well over a quarter million dollars to facilitate corneal transplants.

In addition to being an important charitable fundraiser, the Annual Run for Vision is also an opportunity to remember the selfless cornea donors who made each transplant possible.  This year, Alexandria Scarbro, one such generous donor, is being honored for giving two people a second chance at sight.

During her 20 years of life Alex was a passionate and charismatic girl, befriending anyone she met in a matter of minutes.  Alex’s numerous friends remember her as a caring person, always going out of her way to make them smile.  Even to this day her father, David Scarbro, cannot believe how many lives Alex touched.

A talented basketball player, Alex’s unforgettable charm was as strong on the court as it was off.  Since picking up the sport in fourth grade, Alex was an integral part of every one of her teams.  Alex’s skills as a shooting guard earned her a spot on the varsity team at UW-Whitewater when she was only a freshman, and she was highly regarded by her teammates and coaches alike.

Alex’s passing in November 2012 caught everyone in her life off guard.  Her impact on the world, however, was far from over.  Her UW-Whitewater teammates wore ‘AS’ patches on their jerseys in her honor that season.  The team made it all the way to the Final Four, saying it was Alex who got them there.

Not only that, but Alex donated her corneas and gave two people suffering from corneal blindness the amazing gift of sight.  “Alex’s eyes were beautiful.  They were her best feature.  It makes me feel so good to know there is a part of her that lives on to help others see again,” David said about his daughter’s donation. “Alex and I always loved watching sunsets together, and knowing now that someone else still gets to see those sunsets through her eyes is pretty awesome.”

The Illinois Eye-Bank and EBAA are honoring this remarkable young woman at the 2014 Annual Run for Vision 5K.  Alex’s family,  friends and hundreds more will come together in Grant Park on Oct. 19 to remember her, and to raise funds to bring sight to all those in need.  To support this important cause or to register as a runner, visit www.restoresight.org/upcoming-events/runforvision.

For more information about the race, or to interview David Scarbro, please contact Brittany Wright at  (312) 469-5516, or bwright@illinoiseyebank.org.

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The Illinois Eye-Bank, a subsidiary of Midwest Eye-Banks, is a charitable, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of sight. The Eye-Bank recovers, evaluates and distributes human eye tissue for transplantation. The organization also supports research into the causes and cures of all blinding eye conditions, promotes donation awareness through public and professional education and provides humanitarian assistance to people in need of corneal transplantation throughout the world. For more information, visit the Illinois Eye-Bank at www.IllinoisEyeBank.org, or call 800-548-4703.

The Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), established in 1961, is the oldest transplant association in the nation and champions the restoration of sight through corneal transplantation.  Over 80 member eye banks operate in the United States, Canada and Asia.  These eye banks made possible 72,736 sight-restoring corneal transplants in 2013 and the opportunity to perform more transplants is significant because virtually everyone is a universal donor. The function of corneal tissue is not dependent on blood type, age, strength of eyesight or the color of the eye. To learn more, visit www.restoresight.org.