Dear Lions,
We have seen many amazing advancements throughout our lives. We have walked on the moon, we have phones that guide us when we are lost and we have robots that perform intricate surgeries. Yet, we still see hundreds of children die every single day from a vaccine-preventable disease.
Measles is a highly contagious disease. Those that survive are often left with serious complications, including brain damage, hearing loss and blindness. Too many children are lost to a disease that we can prevent. For about US$1, a simple vaccine provides immunity against measles. That is why we Lions committed to raising US$30 million for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, by 2017. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) will match our contributions, for a total of up to US$60 million mobilized for the fight against measles.
Over the next year, we will need to raise approximately US$10 million to fulfill our promise to the world’s children. I am asking each and every Lion to renew your dedication to the fight against this deadly disease. Together, we have vaccinated millions of children. But the work is not done and we cannot rest until it is. Please make a donation today to LCIF’s measles fund so that no more families have to endure the heartbreaking loss of a child to measles.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada
Chairperson, Lions Clubs International Foundation
