Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. When only 18 months old, a severe illness left her both blind and deaf. Through her own drive and the efforts of a caring teacher, Helen learned not only how to interact with her world, but to become an effective speaker and communicator. She became the first deaf/blind person to graduate from college.

In 1925, Helen traveled to Illinois to address the Lions International Convention. There she challeged the service organization to become "Knights of the Blind." The Lions accepted her challenge and soon become known for their work promoting sight care.

Helen Keller died in 1968, but her legacy continued to live and grow. Ten years after her death, the Lions heard her call once more, this time for those who couldn't hear:

"Deafness still remains isolating – even more so than blindness. When you're blind, you lose touch with things, but when you're deaf, you lose touch with people."

In 1979 the Lions again responded, adding hearing care to their already extensive sight work.

The Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing is a tangible expression of the Lions care. Through Helen Keller's inspiration, Lions across the Pacific Northwest joined forces to bring sight and hearing care to the people of their region, a mission that would eventually bring sight to the world.