KK: Karen's Kanvas: What VisionWalk Means to Me!

VisionWalk, Foundation Fighting Blindness Researching, Curing Sight,

Making futures more Bright,

Enabling people young and old to have the same opportunities,

A Fund Raiser to Cure Retinal Disease.

 

Blindness can be a frightening thing,

Hope  you can bring,

Prevent one from losing the ability to see faces,shapes color, or light,

Minimize the fear for those losing their sight.

 

We all are intended to have 5 Senses:hearing , sight, smell, touch and taste,

Giving support, won't be a waste

 Of your Money or time,

To learn more, go online

 

 If you could, just donate a Dollar,

Your buck will go far,

Maybe, the money you spend at the convenient store, coffee shop or at the sports bar,

For one week, can be donated to the Foundation?

To help those with Usher's syndrome, RP or Macular degeneration?.

 

Blind Individuals    can be independent, be employed   and raise a Family

They are like you and me.

 

Sometimes, we are not given an Opportunity or a chance because we lack eyesight,

This, is not right,

Some do discriminate, some think blindness is just a nusense, just a characteristic, like hair color, but not me,

I believe those of us whom can't see,

Hlike me, whom have no sight, it's a major sensory disability,

And life is a bit more                      challenging and their obstacles in our way,

But that has more to do with, Society's view and Social Barriers, that's what I say.

 

Many people with disabilities feel more isolated and that others do not always, understand,

Yet, we all are connected in some way, lend a hand,

I'm not making any demands,

Though, donations would be appreciated, It could change one life,

Someday, it may affect you, your Sister, Uncle, or your Wife.

 

Due to medical advances, People are living much longer today,

Many are more health conscience, work, involved in their community and play

Contribute to Society in some way,

Be productive at their Jobs or Volunteer,

Play with their grandchildren or spend time with family or friends that are dear

 And as people live longer, their more likely to have problems with their sight,

Often struggle to read, drive or see at night.

 

I do recall, when I was losing my sight, what a scary time,

I couldn't just go online,

Surf the net and read the Medical Journals with a screen reader, Like JAWS,

I needed assistance from Family, to read for me, to tell me the cause,

The reason why I was going blind and what was happening to me,

 Sat in the Doctor's Office, heard his explanation of why I couldn't see,

,Back then WE didn't have access to the information Highway,

Like we do today,

It was a 7 year emotional roller coaster ride,

I tried to take it all in stride,

 And stay strong,

And learn to get along,

And adjust to life without sight,

But for me, it took a long while, before I got it right,

And transitioned from being more in the sighted world, to a blind one,

Once I had, life again, had begun.

 

I                       would like to help others like myself, not experience vision loss, and have a retinal detachment

Its money well spent,

I had 3 Retinal detachments,

Damage to my pupil,iris,rods and cones,

The prognosis,it was unknown,

I also had,Glaucoma, cataracts, a damaged cornea too,

10 surgeries on one eye before it was all through,

 The Doctors at Duke Eye Center, did give me 5 more years of residual sight,

And I'm grateful for all they did for me,

And all the others, who visited the clinic, losing their sight, like me.

 

Help another, be able to   appreciate the beauty with their eyes, a sunrise, the rain, a rainbow,

The view of the view of the ocean, the auto leaves, the falling snow,

 Their child being born, Children at play,

To be able to see on their Wedding day

 To see a smile on their spouses face,

To see their friend, as they hug, give an embrace.

 

Help another to be able to read their own mail,

To walk safely and with ease on a hiking trail,

To make travel easier, taking the bus, train or plane,

Whether they go sighted guide, use a dog guide or a cane,

To not be among the 75 % whom are unemployed,

Or the individuals, that some avoid

At School, Library or at the gym,

at the pool,while they swim,,

In their community as they shop, go to the cinimeathe, or out to dine,

To   help others, right now, some web sites are inaccessible online,

 Let's bridge the Gap, help   one another,

Storm the weather,

After all, we all are connected in some way,

We all are here, live each day,

We all need to make a difference in our lives, what do you say?