Man desperate to find money for eye surgery
In four years, 32-year-old Antonio Evans has done two eye surgeries.
In 2015, he was diagnosed with panuveitis, which is inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye. Evans did a cataract removal surgery for his left eye in 2016 and then another one in 2017, for his right eye.
The surgeries cost $150,000, and $350,000 respectively. And now Evans said he's due for a cornea-replacement surgery this Friday, March 8, which will cost him $600,000, but he cannot afford it.
Evans was a mini mart supervisor on the University of the West Indies Mona campus, before his frequent doctor visits and subsequent loss of sight caused him to lose his job.
"I can't see to read fine prints, I can make out colours and stuff. I can't make out images. It's like you looking through a glass that's frosted up, and you cannot see anything but grey and stuff like that," he said.
The cornea-replacement surgery will remove the damaged cornea in his left eye and replace it with healthy donor tissue. This, Evans hopes, will improve his sight.
The only son for his mom, and father to an eight-year-old boy, Evans said he had to rely on his mother for financial support.
But as a domestic worker, this has been challenging.
"It's just my mom, she's the only support I have, and a days' work she do for a living; the family don't really reach out to mi and assist. She's 59 and she still a wash clothes and dem something deh same way. Yuh nuh want you mom to still be doing stuff like that," he said.
So to assist him with his surgery, Evans had a GoFundMe account created last December to raise US$8,000 (approximately J$1.02 million). But so far he has only reached US$2,000 (approximately J$250,000) of that goal.
And with the surgery merely days away, Evans is desperate.
"If I even get back 50 per cent vision from that, I'll be grateful. That's why I've been reaching out, trying to get the donations. I just want to get back in society, get a job, give mi mother a little thing, and suh help out... . Enjoy mi life, because mi still young same way," he said.
Persons willing to assist Evans can do so by donating to the Antonio Evans Support Fund, National Commercial Bank (NCB) AC# 304811765, or by contacting him at 1(876) 469-9067.