When new parents Amit and Sapna Shah were told that their beautiful baby girl, Laila, was diagnosed with oculocutaneous albinism, their entire world shifted and was turned upside-down.

“When we first got the diagnosis, it was just heart-breaking. We couldn’t really talk about it with anyone without breaking down. Being Indian, we have more pigment and darker skin. OCA wasn’t really something we were familiar with…we just couldn’t see past the diagnosis back then.”

This is the reality for the millions of families that experience the diagnosis of a genetic vision disorder in a child each year. This news can be isolating, terrifying and can leave many parents and family members with questions that just don’t have answers, even from the world’s top doctors and scientists.

The Vision of Children Foundation is dedicated to changing that narrative.

“What’s great about The Vision of Children Foundation is that genetic disorders are what their foundation focuses on. I feel like they’re aggressive in trying to find a treatment. We see a lot of potential for treatment down the road. They’re headed in the right direction. It’s giving us hope about her future.”

Recent advancements in technology are currently providing the perfect opportunity for our scientists to find cures for these disorders. Our scientists at UCLA Jules-Stein Eye Institute are working tirelessly to repair mutated DNA by using stem cells created from the patient’s own skin to eliminate the risk of treatment rejection. This research is our most promising and exciting to date.

But now, more than ever, we need your help.

With your help, we can continue to fund this life-changing research project that could hold the key to a crystal-clear view of the future for millions of children like Laila who have been diagnosed with genetic vision disorders.

“Now she’s three and…we’re so proud of her. This is her world, you know. This is who she is. She’s got quite the little personality and a great sense of humor. She’s very energetic and she just lights up the room.”

This Holiday Season, please consider making a gift to The Vision of Children Foundation to allow us to continue our vital work. Together, we can light up the world!