Q. What does the cost of surgery include?

The cost of surgery includes the doctor, hospital, and anesthesiologist fees, supplies, medications, laboratory fees, lodging, meals, transportation, and a small administrative fee.

Individual Pediatric Surgery
Typical Cost Percentage Breakdown

• General anesthetic medications - 13%
• Anesthesiologist fee - 18%
• Supplies and medications - 22%
• Lab work - 13%
• Transportation - 10%
• Lodging & meals - 11%
• Involved RBI staff costs - 13%

 

Q. Do our donations support lodging, meals, and transportation?

Yes, they do! The per capita monthly income in the Philippines is $210 per month. Many of these children live in far-flung locations throughout the Philippine islands, far from hospitals, and they may need to travel to distant cities for health care. The cost of travel, lodging, and meals can be prohibitive, especially when you include lost wages for the adult. We desire that nothing be an obstacle for these children having surgery, and so we include these costs.

 

Q. Why does surgery need additional funding?

Eye surgery on a child is a lot trickier than on an adult. Unlike adults, children require confinement and general anesthesia. They also require a much longer recovery time.  RBI also pursues as much provision as possible thus we create partnerships with anesthesiologists, doctors, hospitals, and clinics. Your funds can help us provide the quality service that these indigent children need for a safe, effective and holistic treatment.

 

Q. How do you find the children?

First, our field staff find them in the course of our various blindness programs.
Second, through referrals. Families, friends, teachers, and doctors will contact us when encountering children with vision problems.
And lastly, RBI trains thousands of volunteer community health workers all over the country. As these health workers conduct community eye screenings, they continually encounter children with serious vision problems, whom they refer to us for follow-up assistance.

Q. How will I know when the child I’ve sponsored has surgery?

You will receive email updates as there is progress in your sponsored child’s surgery process.

 

Q. What happens if the child is not able to have surgery?

In the rare case that the child is not able to have surgery, the donor would have the option of re-designating their donations to another child in need of surgery or toward another RBI blindness program.

Q. What if there are surplus funds left over from my donation after the surgery is completed?

Since there are many variables during the surgery process—such as evolving local partnerships on the field, fluctuations in exchange rates, etc., there may be surplus funds left over from your donation after the surgery is completed. In these cases, RBI will use those surplus funds to help additional blind children in our backlog database that still need sponsorships for their surgeries. With this approach, we are multiplying the effectiveness of your generosity.

 

Q. What do I do if my credit card is declined?

1. Make sure your card number, the expiration data, and the CVC are all correct as these are the primary factors used by your bank when they decide whether or not to process your donation.

2. Make sure your personal information that you entered into your sponsor profile is correct and complete, i.e. first and last name, complete mailing address, etc.

3. If you are still having problems making a donation, please contact your bank to have them authorize your donation(s) to Resources for the Blind (through Stripe—our credit card processor). Since banks are continually changing their fraud protection policies, your card may suddenly stop working, even if you have made a successful donation on our site before. In some cases, your bank may not contact you if they have put a hold on your card.