| Hi, my name is Rico Villavicencio. As an infant, I was diagnosed with Congenital Glaucoma, which is a rare form of glaucoma that occurs in babies and young children. It is usually the result of incorrect or incomplete development of the eye’s drainage canals during the prenatal period. Only one in 10,000 infants are diagnosed with this disorder on both eyes…Luckily, only my right eye was affected.
With my parents' guidance and countless doctors’ visits (which included a lot of surgeries), I was able to live a normal childhood. I think I have the best opportunity right now to give back to kids who are in the same, if not worse, predicament as I was some 30+ years ago.
So here I am aiming to run the Los Angeles Marathon on March 20, 2011 on behalf of an organization that touches my soul in the deepest way possible.
Blind Children’s Center is a family-centered agency serving children with visual impairments. It is a non-profit organization available to blind and partially sighted children regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, religion, or ability to pay. Founded in 1938, the Center is a project of the Southern California Delta Gammas. They offer center-based and home-based programs and services that help the children acquire skills and build their independence. The Blind Children’s Center operates without state or federal assistance.
Any help is appreciated, including your prayers. Thank you very much! I hope you’ll be as excited as I am about helping the kids at the Blind Children’s Center!
Here's a quick video of who I'm supporting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RJMKEJf63g&feature=player_embedded (please just copy and paste link, i'm not tech savvy like that.) |
