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CREATING NEW POSSIBILITIES - Paul
I had my life all planned out. I had just graduated from the University of Michigan (go Blue!) with a bachelor's degree in economics and was preparing to enter the graduate program in architecture in a few weeks. I loved the idea of creating a new building that previously existed only in my imagination.
Then one morning I woke up, and my central vision was blurry. Two months later I was diagnosed with Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a genetic condition that results in severe vision loss.
When I heard the diagnosis I was shocked and scared. In the back of my mind, I had been denying anything was permanently wrong. I was waiting for a doctor to say, "take these drops and this infection will go away."
My whole life changed in a matter of weeks. My plans for the future were no longer realistic. I stopped participating in my normal social activities. I couldn't drive. I couldn't e-mail my friends or surf the web—things I used to do daily. Even going to the corner for a cup of coffee was a challenge I wasn't ready to face.
Then I heard about the Guild for the Blind. Unlike my experience with another social service agency, the Guild staff treated me like a thinking, feeling person rather than a subject. They asked me how I was affected by my vision loss, they discussed my options, and we talked about my plans for the future. They took an interest in what I wanted, instead of fitting me into a preset model for rehabilitation. They talked about how I could accomplish my goals, rather than why I couldn't.
The Guild's computer instructor showed me how I could use screen reading software to use a computer, surf the Internet and email my friends. I took some training classes at the Guild and am now able to use the computer much more successfully.
Another big impact the Guild had on my life was through the staff's encouragement of my pursuit of art. I began painting seven months after I started loosing my vision. I saw some works by Jose Mosquera, a Spanish artist, who paints in the Impressionistic style. I thought: I can do this. I can do the same thing as someone with perfect sight. I went out and bought an easel, and without paying much attention to the details, I began to paint.
The Guild staff encouraged me to enter some of my work in their "Passionate Focus" art exhibit. Four of my pieces were selected by the jury, and two were sold on opening night! This increased my confidence and encouraged me to approach an art gallery in Chicago and ask to have some of my art included in an upcoming show. As a result, in September three of my pieces were hanging in a Chicago gallery—nine months after I picked up a paintbrush for the first time.
Now when I look to the future, I see the possibilities. I am taking time to pursue different ways of expressing myself artistically. I have participated in several art seminars at the Guild and have met with other artists with visual impairments.
But since I also want to be financially independent, I am improving my computer skills. I want to apply my economics degree to a career in the financial field.
The most important thing I learned from the staff at the Guild is to continue living. When I first started losing my vision, I stopped doing things I enjoyed—like going to baseball games. I thought: what’s the point? But after interacting with Guild staff, I realized that it was me and not my vision loss keeping me from the games. So now I bring my Walkman to the ballpark. I just enjoy being outside with the crowd, listening to the game, eating a hot dog, and cheering for my team. Return to Success Stories
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