I Can Do It!!! - A Participant's Success Story

This is a story about the human spirit, and what it can do with the right attitude, training, and a little encouragement. She had been told that she couldn’t do it. She had been told that she was different, and had thought she would always be dependent n others. She had been told she would be institutionalized if she reached out to others. This is Ann’s story, and Ann has been blind since birth.

She stated that her mother never encouraged her to become independent. If Ann’s father was around as she was growing up, she has never talked about him. She did talk about how isolated she was growing up as a child. Ann received instruction in Braille and took piano lessons. Both these skills are very important to her. She loves to read and finds playing the piano very relaxing.

When Ann married, she became even more isolated. She and her husband moved from Seattle to a rural area in north central Washington, living way out in the country. She stated that many times, she wanted to contact the Lilac Services For The Blind, but her husband told her that we would institutionalize her, Ann knew this was not true, but to keep the peace, she went along with his wishes and did not contact us.

Two years ago, Ann’s husband passed away. She had been married for over twenty years. She felt so lost! Now what would she do? What COULD she do? As fate would have it, a friend from her church invited Ann to move into her home. Ann’s friend felt she was capable of learning so much more and, eventually, contacted Lilac Services For The Blind. It was there, in her friend’s home, that I first visited with Ann and explained the Independent Living Program to her. She was apprehensive about me being there, but was also excited about learning what her possibilities and potential really were.

One of Ann’s goals was to learn how to walk independently using a long white cane. She had been relying solely on sighted guides and, therefore, was never able to go anywhere on her own. She hated this dependence! Thus, I began providing instruction in cane travel immediately, and she learned very quickly. This was another step in Ann’s quest to become independent.

Ann then began volunteering her time at the elementary school in her neighborhood. She reads to the students and teaches them about Braille and many other things. The children love her. I know, because one day I had an opportunity to observe the interaction between the students and Ann. In addition to volunteering at the elementary school, she now also volunteers for our Braille Department.

Ann is currently in the process of learning how to use a computer. Lilac Services For The Blind provided her with a computer and we are working in raising the funds to provide Jaws software to her. At this time, she is using a demo copy of Jaws and receiving instruction from staff members at Lilac Services For The Blind on how to use it. The funding that Lilac Services For The Blind receives from the Department of Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted provided the cane and the training that Ann received, and will continue to receive, until all of her independent living goals are accomplished. These tools have truly changed Ann’s life. She is now able to actively participate in life and, in turn, positively affect others as well.