Remembering the Queen

As we honour Queen Elizabeth II’s life and legacy, we reflect on the impact Her Majesty’s patronage has had on Sightsavers’ work.

We’re honoured to have had the long-standing support of our patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and we offer our sincere condolences to the royal family and all those who mourn her loss.

Throughout her reign, the Queen was committed to supporting Sightsavers. Her Majesty championed our mission to protect sight and fight for disability rights by raising vital awareness both at home and across the globe. A year after becoming our patron in 1957, the Queen granted us royal status.

In 1969, Her Majesty sent a telegram of congratulations following the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro by seven blind men from East Africa. Along with the Queen’s support, this amazing feat challenged discrimination around disability and paved the way for Sightsavers’ first inclusive education programme.

The Queen’s visit to the opening of our new offices in Haywards Heath in 1971 drew huge crowds from across Sussex, who were eager to meet her. Over the years, Her Majesty has met, inspired and honoured many Sightsavers staff, and we are privileged to have enjoyed such a long-lasting relationship with her.

Her legacy: The Trachoma Initiative

The Queen’s wish to end avoidable blindness is enshrined in the legacy left by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.

Funded by the trust, The Trachoma Initiative supported ministries of health in seven countries in Africa to fight trachoma. The five-year programme provided 26.6 million antibiotic eye treatments and 102,400 sight-saving operations to treat the world’s leading cause of infectious blindness. It also ensured that local healthcare providers had the skills, resources and staff they need to prevent trachoma in the future.

Her Majesty’s legacy will continue to be felt for many years to come as these countries carry on their vital work and move ever closer to eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.

Our CEO shares her experience of the royal funeral

Read the blog

Sightsavers and the Queen

A screenshot of a video call between Peter Holland, Jalikatu Mustapha, the Queen and the Countess of Wessex.

Sightsavers Eye Health Hero meets the Queen

Sightsavers ophthalmologist Dr Jalikatu Mustapha, who recently won an IAPB Eye Health Hero Award, received a video call from Her Majesty the Queen to mark World Sight Day.

“I was the first trachoma surgeon in my region”

Meet Samson, a trachoma surgeon who’s saving people’s sight by performing pop-up operations and outreach in remote communities in Kenya.

An old black and white photo shows two people standing on a vast mountain landscape covered in snow.

“We have met fear, and we have conquered it!”

Fifty years ago, on 20 February 1969, seven young men with visual impairments climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.

Your donation will change lives

I would like to make a donation:

A large group of schoolchildren in uniform smiles and cheers.

£3

Every year, your donations could screen one classroom of children for a range of eye conditions.

Ophthalmic nurse Jeremiah Gwafa and a colleague hand medication to an elderly male patient.

£6

Every year, your donations could provide antibiotics to protect a community from trachoma.

Eye health workers in Guinea perform surgery to treat advanced trachoma.

£9

Every year, your donations could pay for an operation for someone with trichiasis, an advanced form of trachoma.

Every year, your donations could screen one classroom of children for a range of eye conditions.

Every year, your donations could provide antibiotics to protect a community from trachoma.

Every year, your donations could pay for an operation for someone with trichiasis, an advanced form of trachoma.

We're sorry, but the minimum donation we can take is £2

We're sorry, but we cannot process a donation of this size online. Please contact us on [email protected] for assistance donating over £10,000

£25

Your donation could screen a classroom of children for a range of eye conditions.

£72

Your donation could provide antibiotics to protect a community against trachoma.

£97

Your donation could pay for an operation for someone with trichiasis, an advanced form of trachoma.

Your donation could screen a classroom of children for a range of eye conditions.

Your donation could provide antibiotics to protect a community against trachoma.

Your donation could pay for an operation for someone with trichiasis, an advanced form of trachoma.

We're sorry, but the minimum donation we can take is £2

We're sorry, but we cannot process a donation of this size online. Please contact us on [email protected] for assistance donating over £10,000

We protect sight, fight disease and make sure everyone can claim their rights.

Find out how your support can make a huge difference and change lives.

Remembering the Queen

As we honour Queen Elizabeth II’s life and legacy, we reflect on the impact Her Majesty’s patronage has had on Sightsavers’ work.

We’re honoured to have had the long-standing support of our patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and we offer our sincere condolences to the royal family and all those who mourn her loss.

Her legacy: The Trachoma Initiative

Our CEO shares her experience of the royal funeral

Sightsavers and the Queen

Sightsavers Eye Health Hero meets the Queen

“I was the first trachoma surgeon in my region”

“We have met fear, and we have conquered it!”

Your donation will change lives

Protecting sight, fighting disease and promoting equality for all

We protect sight, fight disease and make sure everyone can claim their rights.

Find out how your support can make a huge difference and change lives.

Remembering the Queen

As we honour Queen Elizabeth II’s life and legacy, we reflect on the impact Her Majesty’s patronage has had on Sightsavers’ work.

We’re honoured to have had the long-standing support of our patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and we offer our sincere condolences to the royal family and all those who mourn her loss.

Sightsavers pays tribute to Her Majesty The Queen

Her legacy: The Trachoma Initiative

Our CEO shares her experience of the royal funeral

Sightsavers and the Queen

Sightsavers Eye Health Hero meets the Queen

“I was the first trachoma surgeon in my region”

“We have met fear, and we have conquered it!”

Your donation will change lives

Protecting sight, fighting disease and promoting equality for all