News

The vision of a boy was restored through gene therapy drops

8 August 2023

Dr. Alfonso Sabater retrieved two photographs of Antonio Vento Carvajal’s eyes. One showed cloudy scars covering both eye bulbs. The other, taken after months of gene therapy administered through eye drops, revealed no scars in either of the two eyes. Antonio, who was legally blind for a significant part of his 14 years, can see again. The teenager was born with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over the body, including the eyes. However, his skin improved when he enrolled in a clinical trial for the world’s first localized gene therapy. This gave Dr. Sabater

Bronze for Pelendritou in the 50m freestyle at the World Championships.

7 August 2023

Carolina Pelendritou secured the third place in the 50m freestyle at the World Para Swimming Championship (in the S11 category) held in Manchester on Monday. It is her 12th medal and the first bronze she has won in a World Championship, 21 years after her first participation. Pelendritou, who had the misfortune of hitting the lane divider, finished with a time of 30.28 and came behind China’s Ma Jia (29.74) and Dutch swimmer Bruinsma Liesette (30.07). For the 36-year-old swimmer, this is her 12th medal in a World Championship since her debut in 2002. It is her first bronze, as

Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility: Building an Inclusive World

5 August 2023

Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility: Building an Inclusive World Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken significant strides in recent years, with its applications extending across various sectors such as healthcare, economics, and education. One area where artificial intelligence has the potential to have a significant impact is accessibility, particularly for individuals with disabilities. By harnessing artificial intelligence technologies, we can build a world without barriers where everyone has equal access to information, services, and opportunities. One of the most promising applications of artificial intelligence in accessibility lies in the realm of assistive technologies. These tools, designed to aid individuals with disabilities in

Visits of the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare to various Foundations in Limassol

4 August 2023

The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Ms. Marilena Evaggelou, visited the institutions of Agios Stefanos and Theotokos, which serve individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as the Children’s Shelter in Limassol. As part of the visits, the Deputy Minister had the opportunity to tour the facilities of the Institutions and the Children’s Shelter, engage in discussions with the beneficiaries and staff, become informed about the implemented programs, and hold discussions with the administrative boards and employees regarding the challenges they face. “The quality of life, skill development, and integration of Persons with Disabilities constitute the highest goal for

Sun and Vision: A “dangerous” relationship – How to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation

1 August 2023

Dr. Anastasios-I. Kanellopoulos, Ophthalmologist, among other things, mentions what you should do to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Although most of us know that we should protect our skin from the sun, we forget that protecting our eyes from ultraviolet radiation is equally important, especially during the summer. “The right sunglasses are essential for both children and adults as they provide significant protection not only for the eyes but also for the area around them.” There are three types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not pose a threat

Mount Everest: Deaf mountaineers conquer the world’s highest peak

31 July 2023

Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger are a deaf couple who run a channel on YouTube. What makes this channel unique is the recording of their experiences of being deaf and climbing the highest peaks of mountains around the world, as reported by CNN. Their passion for what they do made them the first deaf couple in the world to successfully climb Mount Everest. During their journey, something unexpected happened: they met the second deaf person to reach the summit of this mountain, Hawari Hashim from Malaysia, who achieved this feat on May 18th. Notably, the first person to accomplish this

Unheard of but Cypriot – Vehicle with mobile cameras in disabled parking area (IMAGE).

28 July 2023

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvNVSBQrupD/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Unprecedented but Cypriot – Vehicle with mobile cameras in a parking space for people with disabilities (PHOTO). The photo, which was posted on social media by Mr. Dimitris Lambrianides, President of the Cyprus Paraplegic Organization, has been circulating on the internet in recent hours. As you can see in the following photo, the operator of the van with mobile cameras parked in a parking space designated for disabled individuals. Specifically, in his post, Mr. Lambrianides mentions: “This photo was sent to me today. If anyone knows the person who took it, please ask them to go to the nearest

NGOs – Myths and Realities

27 July 2023

The establishment of a legislative framework for institutionalized, regular dialogue between non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the state, for a strong civil society in Cyprus, meaning a potent organized social action of groups or individuals for the common good, is the primary goal of the Civil Society Advocates Foundation, as stated by its president, Eleni Karayianni, to “Φ” newspaper. In her message stressing the need for dialogue and cooperation, Dr. Anastasia Michaelidou Kamenu, the head of the Department of Associations, Clubs, and SMEs at the Ministry of Interior, promptly expressed her willingness to comment on the views and positions of Civil

Luxembourg: An Accessible City for Everyone!

27 July 2023

Author: Ablebook A city is considered accessible when all its residents can live in it and use all objects and services without problems. Luxembourg was awarded as the accessible city of Europe in 2022! Which city will be awarded this year? Of course, the focus is not on the award itself but on the proper practices adopted by urban centers that benefit their citizens. The EU Access City Award is an award presented annually to cities that make efforts to become accessible and is organized by the European Commission. The award’s inception was in 2010, and it serves as a

Google announces new accessibility features on Android, including Live Caption on tablets.

26 July 2023

Google celebrated the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) by unveiling a range of new accessibility features for its products and services. These features aim to make Google’s products more accessible to people with disabilities. Live Captions on more devices, including Android tablets One of the most significant new accessibility features is the addition of Live Caption to more Android devices. Live Caption provides real-time subtitles for audio content, such as videos, podcasts, and phone calls. This can be incredibly beneficial for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those living in noisy environments. Starting from this

Newsroom