BLIND PILOT ON MISSION TO INSPIRE

Flying micro light aircraft on charity trip from England to Australia

Story By Piyaporn Wongruang

Pilot Miles Barber has been blind for almost 40 years as a result of an eye disease.

But the pilot, who is flying a micro light aircraft on a charity flight from England to Australia, has not let blindness keep him from sharing his vision to help others.

He is on a trip which aims to raise 1 million for eye patients worldwide. The trip started on March 7.

Mr Barber, who arrived in Bangkok yesterday with co-pilot Richard Hardy, cited a saying, "One without vision may as well be blind."

"So the message that I want to share with others in the world is that we need to keep our eyes open, to show vision and compassion," said the 57-year-old pilot.

Blindness is not an obstacle as the pilot controls the plane with the aid of special voice output equipment, which tells him the height of the plane and other details he needs to know.

"I think the biggest barrier that the blind have to overcome is their own minds. The world tends to tell the blind what they can do, but I think it's the blind who should tell themselves what they can or can't do. They should live their lives fully, not be afraid," said Mr Barber, who hopes one day to walk in space.

He leaves for Phuket today where he will stop over for one night, before heading to Malaysia tomorrow. He is set to complete the 56-day flight on April 28, in Australia.

At least 300 people in Thailand alone would receive financial support for optic treatments from the charity flight, said Ashley Veasey, representative of Standard Chartered Bank.

The bank launched the flight, under a long-term campaign called "Seeing is Believing," which aims to raise funds for the blind worldwide. Usanee Reinprayoon, an ophthalmologist from the Thai Red Cross Society's Eye Bank, said the pilot's action shows that being blind need not hold someone back from living life fully, and performing good deeds for others.

She said the fund-raising event would help Thais with eye problems, particularly those in need of optical surgery.

So far, the Seeing is Believing project has provided financial support to 105 patients. Over 4,000 patients are on the waiting list for eye operations, Dr Usanee said.

A shortage of donated eyes was a worry. She said several patients could have been cured from eye diseases such as cataracts if they had received donated eyes in time.

"The public does not understand how significant it is for someone to have their eyes replaced," she said.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007