The Annie Sullivan Society

Annie Sullivan was Helen Keller's devoted teacher and companion who later became known to the world as "The Miracle Worker." Nearly blind herself, Annie regained her vision only after treatment by Dr. Henry Bradford at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. This experience inspired her to commit herself to teaching the blind and deaf.

The Annie Sullivan Society honors and recognizes the many thoughtful and generous individuals who have joined the Infirmary in its mission to preserve sight, hearing, speech and balance. Membership in the Annie Sullivan Society is open to those who name the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in their wills, planned gifts or estate plans. There is no membership fee.

Please consider supporting the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary through membership in the Annie Sullivan Society. With your help, Infirmary physicians and scientists will continue to lead the fight to diagnose, treat, prevent and cure disorders affecting sight, hearing, speech and balance -- working miracles for the many millions of people throughout the world who must live each day with these conditions.

"The Miracle Worker"

Annie Sullivan worked miracles with Helen Keller. With Annie's help, Helen became a highly accomplished and inspirational communicator -- both verbally and through writing -- and proved to the world that a blind and deaf person can live a full and productive life in a world of sight and sound.

Many do not know that Annie, too, struggled with vision problems throughout her life. As a child, her eyesight was normal until shortly before her eighth birthday when she was struck by a disease that clouded her vision. Despite three operations, Annie's eyesight did not improve and she resigned herself to a life of blindness. However, at the age of fifteen, she learned of Dr. Bradford at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary who performed two surgeries, eventually restoring vision to Annie.

With the gift of sight, Annie decided to pursue a career as a teacher of the blind. Her first teaching assignment was the 7-year-old blind, deaf and mute Helen Keller whom she would teach and nurture for the rest of her life.

Become a Miracle Worker

Your legacy, of whatever size, is critically important in helping the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary provide the finest care to patients with disorders of the eyes, ears, nose, throat, head and neck. With your help, we will continue to improve the training, and expand the research that one day may prevent these diseases, or cure them entirely.

By joining the Annie Sullivan Society, you will enjoy:

• An annual members reception.
• Inclusion in an Annie Sullivan Society members listing published in the Infirmary's Annual Report.
• A subscription to the Society's newsletter featuring current news of the Infirmary and information on financial planning.
• The satisfaction of knowing that you are helping work "miracles" in the lives of those who live with the loss of vision, hearing, speech or balance.

You may designate a specific purpose for your estate plan gift to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Depending upon your interests, you may support patient care, research or training in ophthalmology or otolaryngology, or make an unrestricted gift that will enable the Infirmary to allocate the funds where they are most needed at the time they are received. You may also choose to establish your own named fund with a minimum gift of $25,000.<

Please let us know if you have made a provision for the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in your will or estate plan so we may personally thank you and welcome you into the Annie Sullivan Society.