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Sightsavers Co-Founder Transformed Global Eye Care
25 Feb
Summary
- Jean Wilson co-founded Sightsavers to combat blindness in developing nations.
- She coined the term 'river blindness' for onchocerciasis.
- Her efforts helped fund millions of eye exams and sight-saving operations.
Jean Wilson, a visionary campaigner for the education of blind children and co-founder of Sightsavers, died on January 5, 2026, at the age of 103. She and her husband, John, established the British Empire Society for the Blind in 1950, which later became Sightsavers in 1986. This charity has since grown into a major organization dedicated to preventing and treating blindness in developing countries.
Initially a small operation, Sightsavers now supports over 9 million eye examinations and 500,000 sight-saving operations each year in 30 countries. Jean Wilson played a pivotal role, including coining the memorable term 'river blindness' for onchocerciasis, a parasitic disease prevalent in areas like the Gold Coast (now Ghana), which she witnessed firsthand. Her efforts also extended to educational initiatives for blind children, including organizing an expedition for blind men to climb Kilimanjaro in 1969 to challenge perceptions.
Beyond Sightsavers, Wilson co-founded Impact in 1985 with her husband and daughter, focusing on broader disability issues. She was also instrumental in the National Rubella Council, significantly increasing rubella vaccine uptake to prevent congenital blindness and deafness. Jean Wilson's legacy continues through the organizations she founded and the millions of lives impacted by her tireless work.
