Confronted with the imminent chance of losing vision in one eye, Garry Hee resumed utilizing his camera to generate funds for charity.
“In August, I unexpectedly experienced bleeding in the back of my [left] eye, which was affecting my vision,” Hee shared with the Langley Advance Times.
“Thus, I began to engage more deeply with photography since I wanted to complete photography projects before going blind,” remarked Hee, a long-standing advocate in the Langley community residing near the Surrey-Langley border.
He is a passionate amateur photographer who acquired his initial single lens reflex camera back in the 1970s, but had distanced himself from it while managing his computer business and campaigning on various community issues.
His causes have included the FightHST petition campaign in 2009, a petition against bridge tolls in 2017, a movement for crosswalks at the intersection of 72 Avenue and 196 Street on the Surrey-Langley border in 2014, along with a petition for ER parking at LMH and other hospitals in 2019 that gathered 4,200 signatures.
He organizes photo exhibitions for free, showcasing his favorite images and encouraging attendees to contribute to any charitable organization they choose.
“It would be wonderful if these charitable organizations received some financial assistance,” Hee stated.
Hee is arranging exhibitions via his website, https://garybhee.ca/, which supports Doctors Without Borders in Ukraine, and he also supports charities that assist individuals with cancer and organizations aiding those with autism and Down syndrome.
He is also in the process of producing videos.
His inaugural exhibition, described as a “pop-up show and tell,” generated approximately $200.
Since commencing his monthly treatments, Hee reported an improvement in his vision.
“It has indeed improved,” he clarified.
“[I’m] still receiving injections in the eye. It’s a monthly treatment I must continue.”
At 80, he acknowledges that he is slowing down just a bit, yet he is determined not to cease campaigning for the causes that matter to him.
“Life is not a fantasy, it’s a journey,” Hee remarked.