Blind former soldier Alan Burrows’ request for Financial Assistance to help pay for his basic groceries has been granted.Government officials are now assessing the 78-year-old’s bid for cash so he can visit surgeons in America who may be able to restore his sight.The senior’s battle to save his vision has been spurred on by public support since The Royal Gazette reported his plight late last month, according to the Bermuda Legion.A former captain of Bermuda Regiment, Mr Burrows has end-stage glaucoma; he has a referral to visit a specialist at Johns Hopkins hospital, in Baltimore, to assess whether he can regain any of his former sight.But this newspaper’s The Cost of Living series highlighted how Mr Burrows cannot afford to fly overseas as he lives on a pension of little more than $600 a month, more than half of which goes on FutureCare payments.He lives in a small house in Devonshire with his 80-year-old sister, who acts as a caregiver, and says most of his income goes on bills and basic groceries.Since we reported his position, Government has granted Mr Burrows initial Financial Assistance, to help with grocery payments, and is now investigating whether he meets the criteria for help for his flight.Members of the public have also contacted the Bermuda Legion, formerly the Royal British Legion, Bermuda, asking how they can help Mr Burrows, who served in Bermuda from 1954 to 1990.Carol Everson, the welfare case worker for the Bermuda Legion, which has been helping the former solider, said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to Financial Assistance and those members of the community who have shown an interest and made inquiries on Mr Burrows’ behalf.“Thanks are also due to Digicel CEO and former Bermuda Regiment officer Wayne Caines, who donated a special senior-friendly cellphone with emergency buttons to Mr Burrows.“We will be pursuing every possible avenue to get Mr Burrows the second opinion he is hoping for.“It’s quite obvious that with only a basic statutory pension to live on that Mr Burrows is extremely poor. We would appreciate any other help that he can get.”Mr Burrows, who owns a one-fifth share in his homestead, benefits from a recent Government decision allowing seniors with an interest in property to claim assistance.Asked for a comment, Director of Financial Assistance Dianna Taylor said: “The Department of Financial Assistance does not disclose the affairs of its clients to members of the public.”The Bermuda Legion will accept donations on Mr Burrows’ behalf at: Bermuda Charity 809, HSBC Business Account 010 731 354 001. The Bermuda Legion can also be contacted by e-mail at: nosoldierleftbehind@hotmail.com.