Acknowledgements
The researchers would like to thank all those people who have contributed to the cost of blindness research. The final research report represents not only the work of the research team but also the collective effort of many people who have contributed time, experience and expertise in making the research possible.
We would particularly like to thank the many Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) members who took the time to participate in the research. Your willingness to examine honestly and critically the costs of blindness in your daily lives has been fundamental to the research. Your courage, determination and tenacity inspired us all. Particular thanks also to the parents of vision impaired children; your participation has vitally informed understanding of how the costs of blindness impact beyond those with vision impairment.
Thank you also to the key informants involved in the research. Your expertise and experience of the costs of blindness provided the essential foundations for the research.
There are too many people to individually thank within the RNZFB. A collective acknowledgement is necessary but unable to fully recognize the input of each individual. We thank you all for your unfailing enthusiasm for the research and your willingness to assist us in its completion.
There are many other individuals within many other organisations to thank. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the assistance of personnel within the Vision Education Agency, Statistics New Zealand, Ministry of Social Development, Auckland Area Health Board, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Workbridge New Zealand, Transfund New Zealand, (1) Local Government, Pulse Data International, (2) New Zealand Radio for the Print Disabled Inc. and Ophthalmology departments throughout the country.
Footnotes
1. Now Land Transport NZ.
2. Now HumanWare Group.