October 2024 marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and raise awareness about the importance of creating inclusive workplaces. This year’s theme, “Advancing Access and Equity,” serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing need to break down barriers and create opportunities for everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Why National Disability Employment Awareness Month Matters

NDEAM has its roots in 1945, when the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the first week of October to highlight the value that people with disabilities bring to the workforce. Over the years, it has expanded into a month-long celebration that encourages businesses, organizations, and communities to reflect on how they can be more inclusive and supportive of individuals with disabilities.

For millions of Americans living with disabilities, finding meaningful employment can be challenging. Barriers such as limited access to education, discrimination, and lack of accommodations in the workplace can prevent them from reaching their full potential. NDEAM encourages employers to evaluate their practices, increase accessibility, and foster an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

How Employers Can Support Workers with Disabilities

Creating a more inclusive workforce begins with understanding the challenges that individuals with disabilities face. Employers can make a positive impact by:

1. Offering Accommodations: Providing reasonable accommodations, such as flexible schedules, assistive technology, and accessible workspaces, can help employees with disabilities thrive.
2. Promoting Inclusivity: Fostering a culture of inclusion through training programs and clear anti-discrimination policies ensures that all employees feel valued and respected.
3. Focusing on Abilities, Not Limitations: Employers who focus on the strengths and capabilities of workers with disabilities can unlock a wealth of talent and creativity that benefits the entire organization.
4. Partnering with Advocacy Organizations: Building relationships with disability advocacy groups helps employers understand the needs of the disabled community and ensures that recruitment and retention practices are inclusive.

A Real-Life Inspiration: Dr. Uzunel’s Unwavering Dedication

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we encourage you to take a moment to consider how you can contribute to a more inclusive society. Whether you’re an employer looking to improve your workplace culture or an advocate for equality, your efforts can make a meaningful impact in the lives of people with disabilities.

At Embrace Relief, we are deeply committed to fostering inclusion, not just in the workplace, but in healthcare access as well. Many people living with disabilities face significant barriers to quality healthcare, especially in underserved regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, countless individuals are living with preventable blindness due to a lack of access to medical care. Embrace Relief addresses global health equality by providing life-changing cataract surgeries and health screenings to people who might otherwise go without care.

Embrace Relief is honored to work with Dr. Umut Duygu Uzunel, a remarkable medical and naturopathic doctor who exemplifies the spirit of NDEAM. Despite living with muscular dystrophy, a condition that has progressively reduced her mobility and confined her to a wheelchair, Dr. Uzunel continues to dedicate her life to restoring vision for those in need.

>>>Read more: Dr. Uzunel’s story

This year, Dr. Uzunel will travel to Embrace Relief’s Mobile Health Clinic in Africa to perform free cataract surgeries. Her determination to provide these life-changing procedures, even as she faces her own physical challenges, is a powerful reminder of the incredible contributions people with disabilities can make when given the opportunity and support they need.

Dr. Uzunel’s work not only restores sight but also embodies the essence of resilience and compassion, inspiring us all to break down barriers and create a more inclusive world.

With each surgery she performs, she is not only giving someone back their vision but also helping them regain their independence and re-enter the workforce, creating a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Join Us in Making a Difference

As we recognize the importance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we also invite you to join us in our mission to provide vital healthcare to those in need.

Your support can help Dr. Uzunel return to Africa and help us continue offering free cataract surgeries and health screenings, ensuring that people have the chance to live healthier, more productive lives.

Every donation counts, and with your help, we can continue to remove barriers and provide hope to those who need it most. To learn more about our work or to contribute to our cause, please visit https://www.embracerelief.org/health/.

Many factors can contribute to blindness or visual impairment. To maintain eye health and overall well-being, it is essential to know the types, causes, symptoms, and treatments for blindness. In the U.S., there are more than 1 million people are blind. Globally, approximately 43 million people are blind, with 89% of these cases being in developing countries. Access to basic health services like full-body checkups means early intervention and lessens the likelihood of vision loss, a luxury millions of people worldwide do not have.

Types of Blindness

Complete blindness: Zero vision, including inability to see or detect light.

Partial or low blindness: Some vision, often blurry or dark.

Congenital blindness: Born with poor vision for several reasons, including inherited genetics, retinal conditions, and non-inherited birth defects.

Legal blindness: A term used in the United States to describe a person with 20/200 vision or who has severe vision loss in their field of vision or peripheral vision.

Nutritional blindness: A person may experience vision loss due to a vitamin deficiency.

Symptoms of Vision Loss

Recognizing the symptoms of vision loss is crucial, as it could prompt you to seek medical advice and receive early intervention to prevent blindness.

• Blurry vision
• Double vision
• Eye pain
• Floaters and flashes
• Sensitivity to light
• Sudden blackspots or loss of vision

Causes and Treatments

There are many different conditions that can cause partial or complete blindness. including infections, non-infectious diseases, eye injuries or head trauma.

Infections

• Trachoma
• Cytomegalovirus
• Endophthalmitis
• Histoplasmosis
• Keratitis, including acanthamoeba keratitis
• Rubella
• Shingles
• Syphilis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Uveitis

Non-infectious Diseases

• Retinitis pigmentosa
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Retinopathy of prematurity
• Cataracts
• Diabetes-related retinopathy
• Glaucoma
• Leber hereditary optic neuropathy
• Anophthalmia
• Microphthalmos
• Stroke
• Cancer
• Nutritional deficiencies

Eye Injuries and Head Trauma

• Chemical burns
• Exposure to toxins
• Fights
• Fireworks
• Industrial accidents, including falls
• Motor vehicle crashes
• Sports

Reduce Your Risk of Blindness

To reduce your risk of vision loss and blindness, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including seeing an ophthalmologist, or eye doctor, for annual check ups and eye exams. Most eye doctors utilize the Snellen Test, which entails the patient reading lines of the alphabet that become smaller as they go down the page; this test measures central vision, or what one can see in front of them. To test one’s field of vision, including peripheral, a provider may use the Visual Field Test, or Perimetry Test.

Blindness in Developing Countries

With 89% of the world’s blind population living in developing countries, there is an undeniable need for improved access to health and medical services. Embrace Relief addresses global health inequality and global health security by creating positive health outcomes and expanding access to affordable care for vulnerable communities.

We achieve this mission through the provision of free cataract surgeries, full-body health screenings, and medicine, as well as facilitating the acquisition of medical supplies and equipment. Embrace Relief’s Health-Cataract program operates in Mali, Afghanistan, Kenya, Uganda, and Burkina Faso. It aims to promote sustainable development by increasing the quality of life, educational success, workforce participation, and social development.

You can give someone the gift of sight by making a donation of any amount. Donate today – just $120 covers the cost of one cataract surgery and health/eye screenings for 15 other people!