The Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund will host its 8th Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, March 21, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Lake Pearl in Wrentham. Brave participants will plunge into the chilly waters to raise funds in support of life-changing eye research.

Founded in 1951, the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund was created after the Lions of Massachusetts learned that nearly 2,500 premature babies were losing their sight each year due to a condition then known as “baby blindness.” Early Lions-funded research led to the discovery that excessive oxygen use in neonatal incubators was the cause—an important medical breakthrough that changed practices worldwide and saved the vision of countless children.

For more than 74 years, the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund has remained an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the charitable arm of the Massachusetts Lions. By mandate, 100% of funds raised go directly to eye research, not to salaries or administrative costs.

Since its founding, the organization has donated over $41 million to vision research, including more than $740,000 in grants last year alone. These funds support critical research at leading institutions such as Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston University School of Medicine, Joslin Diabetes Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Schepens Eye Research Institute, and Tufts Medical School.

Research supported by the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund focuses on preventing blindness and treating eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye disease, corneal injuries, and other vision-threatening conditions. Many advances in eye care today began with Lions-funded research.

At a time when federal medical research funding has slowed, private support is more important than ever. Without continued funding, vital research could be delayed or lost, and talented researchers may be forced to seek opportunities elsewhere. The work being done in Massachusetts has global impact and may one day preserve the sight of someone you love.

Community members, businesses, and organizations are encouraged to support the Polar Plunge through donations, sponsorships, or participation. Every contribution helps ensure that critical eye research continues.

To register for the plunge or sponsor a plunger, visit www.norfolkmalions.org/polar-plunge.

For more information about the Lions 8th Annual Polar Plunge or how you can support Massachusetts Lions Eye Research, contact Al Bozza at 774-571-5170.