Client Success Story: Celebrating Kevin’s Journey!
Condition: Glaucoma

Join us in celebrating Kevin's incredible journey of resilience and personal growth! Kevin's story is an inspiration to us all, as he continues to overcome challenges and embrace new opportunities at San Diego Center for the Blind.

What caused Kevin’s visual impairment?
Kevin's vision deteriorated over the course of a few months to the point where he could no longer drive himself to work, the culprit was Glaucoma. After consulting with his doctor, he underwent multiple surgeries to alleviate the pressure in his eyes. Unfortunately, the outcome was disappointing: Kevin can see blurry high contrast colors and shadows in his left eye and a "thick white fog" in his right eye.

How did Kevin’s everyday life change since his vision loss?
As a result of his vision impairment, here’s how Kevin’s life changed:

• He could no longer drive his car or watch his favorite shows
• He could no longer work as a delivery truck driver
• His wife had to take on more roles, including becoming his caregiver
• His 4 children also had to adjust to all these changes
• He had to learn multiple new skills to maintain his independence

Luckily, Kevin’s family was very supportive of him, especially when it came to his biggest challenge: Learning to gain more independence despite the loss of his vision.

How did Kevin find San Diego Center for the Blind (SDCB)?

Despite his changing vision, Kevin's spirit remained unbroken. He sought assistance and, referred by his doctor, Kevin found support and guidance at the San Diego Center for the Blind.

What services at SDCB did Kevin receive?
Kevin took a proactive approach to reaching his goals, as well as enhancing his journey to independence further by participating in a variety of programs, including:

• SDCB assistive technology classes: To help him learn how to utilize screen reader software to potentially allow him to land a job in the future.
• SDCB Orientation & Mobility training: Also known as “cane class” to learn how to utilize the long white cane to avoid obstacles on the ground, cross streets, board elevators and escalators, and mitigate risks of any potential dangers while maintaining his orientation to his surroundings.
• SDCB Braille courses: Braille is a crucial tool for blind and visually impaired people by providing them with a means to access written information.

Given the challenges associated with his vision, guess what amazing adventure Kevin accomplished?!
Once Kevin gained confidence about learning how to navigate the world without vision and felt more independent, Kevin and his wife, Arli, were able to travel to Germany to meet their first grandchild last winter. He successfully traveled abroad, independently navigating streets, crowds, and countless obstacles utilizing his skills and long white cane.

What does Kevin hope for the future?
His personal goal is to return to work as soon as possible.

Our kudos to Kevin!
Let us come together to celebrate Kevin's journey and commend him for his dedication to personal growth. His story reminds us that there are no limits to what we can achieve when we embrace new opportunities with determination and a positive mindset.

Congratulations, Kevin, on your remarkable achievements and for inspiring us all with your resilience and thirst for knowledge!

Please give today to San Diego Center For The Blind