Whitney Hope- Spotlight Story

What comes to mind when you hear the words "legally blind"? For most people, white canes and seeing-eye dogs come to mind.

But, in reality, legal blindness is much more than these simple caricatures suggest.

A person fitting the medical definition of legal blindness sees at 20 feet what a normal person sees at 200 feet. Legally blind individuals are considered disabled if they "cannot walk a distance of 200 metres or more without serious harm to themselves or another person."

I was born with congenital cataracts; a condition which is rare and inheritable. The first doctor to diagnose my case told my parents in no uncertain terms to "buy him a rum shop and let him run it. He'll never amount to anything." That was eighteen years ago.

Today, I am a graduate of the University of Toronto, trained in genetics, and am pursuing graduate studies. It has been an uphill battle. It is hard to explain to a stranger the magnitude of what I have gone through.

The greatest crime imaginable is to shatter someone's dreams by saying something is impossible. By its preconceptions and indifference, society has done just that to the disabled population. And there are those who have gone beyond indifference, just like that first eye doctor of mine. There were many who have told me what I can and cannot do; there were very few who were willing to grant me the chance to find out what I can achieve by myself.

Helen Keller is a role model of mine. Though blind and deaf-thanks to a fever when she was a toddler-she became one of the most famous people of her time. She made a name for herself by persevering and refusing to give up despite the frustrations. Fortunately, she had Anne Sullivan as her teacher and guide, who insisted that she not lean on convenient crutches and that she not make excuses.

I too am lucky. I have several 'Anne Sullivans' who believe in me and have faith in me; they are my family and closest friends.

How many like me have gotten the chance I have? Very few, I'm afraid. How many should get the chance and the encouragement to succeed? To make a living for themselves? To have a life worth living? Everyone.

Today, there are campaigns throughout the world to eradicate preventable blindness; one of the most successful has been the Lions Clubs International's SightFirst Campaign. Thanks to this program, cataract surgeries, implants and laser treatments are now being performed worldwide on a daily basis for people who would otherwise not have access to such advanced treatments.

Despite campaigns such as this one, there are still many people classified as legally blind. But there are organizations responsible for helping those people to cope. In Canada, for example, there is the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). However, the majority of CNIB's clientele are seniors and most of their services are for that group.

I have had occasion to ask about support services for visually impaired youth and there is very little provided. The answer, when I mentioned this to members of the CNIB, was "we never really thought of it."

The number of youth and young adults today who are either legally blind from birth or suffering from deteriorating vision is high. There is a 70% unemployment rate for these people. That means that we have a 70% chance of sitting at home living off welfare.

It also means that I should consider myself very lucky to have gotten that degree.

Society and organizations alone cannot instill enough faith in a person to push him or her to succeed despite all challenges. But people can make a difference. With the help of supportive friends and family, visually impaired people can make a future for themselves.

Mahadeo A. Sukhai is 20 years old and is a graduate student in molecular biology at the University of Toronto.