This is the GUIDE PAGE MAGAZINE text edition for April 2005.

All material property of C-W-A-B, Incorporated. Reproduction of audio, and or printed articles or photos in the original printed issue, may not be reproduced or distributed in whole or in part without prior written consent.

Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind, Inc.

The Guide Page Magazine published monthly by:

(304) 522-6991 - Fax (304) 522-6924

e-mail: cwabadm@cabellwayne.org

Internet: www.cabellwayne.org or www.cwab.org.

Paul Slone, Executive Director

Jerry Crabtree, Guide Page Editor

Volume 16, Issue 4

April 2005

In this issue: Mission and Vision Statements, GP Narrator Of The Month, From the "Director’s Desk", Consumer Handbook, Orientation & Mobility, Oral Hull Summer Camp, The Northeast Corner, Donations Letter, Potting Party, Rummage/Bake Sale, Letter From Cammack, "Who Cooked That Up", Recipe of the Month, Baked Steak Dinner Photos, Recreational Activities, Bowling Scores, Support Groups, Shopping Dates Set, New Audio Books, Summer Computer Class , Bowling Tournament, Fund-raising Items, Control Your Assets, GP Supporters, Radio Outreach, CWAB Services.

ON THE COVER: O&M Instructor Nancy Henderson (right) assists a CWAB consumer Leoma Chapman in the use of her new mobility cane.

Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind

Mission and Vision Statements

Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind is committed to promoting and advocating the economic, educational, and social welfare of the blind and visually impaired of all ages so that they can maintain a lifestyle comparable to other members of society.

CWAB will be seen nationally as a model for organizations and agencies that help blind and visually impaired persons achieve maximum independence. CWAB will be known for timely and appropriate state-of-the-art responses to the changing needs of consumers throughout the Tri-State area and beyond.

Guide Page Magazine

Reader of the Month

Sandra Cole, News Co-anchor for WOWK-CBS-13

A "regular" reader for the audio edition for the GUIDE PAGE MAGAZINE, Sandra Cole anchors WOWK’s 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, 7:00 & 11:00 pm newscasts and has been a member of 13 News team since 1994.

Prior to coming to Huntington, Cole had worked in Florida, Kansas, Iowa, and South Dakota.

A Wisconsin native, Sandra hosts a weekly series which profiles local children who want to be adopted. Cole is very involved in the community and helps with numerous charity events and organizations including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, The Epilepsy Foundation, a mentor for the H.O.S.T. reading program in local schools as well as CWAB.

In her spare time she enjoys outdoor sports, and traveling with her son and daughter. One of their favorite trips was to Alaska.

There are two photo with this article. The first, on the left page of the printed issue is a professional photo of Cole. The background shades moderate to dark green. Sandra is wearing a dark blue dress and is broadly smiling. The second photo is on the lower half of the right page. It is a photo taken at CWAB. It is a head-to-shoulder pose. Cole is broadly smiling.

From the "Director’s Desk"

Hello Everyone!

The old addage says "hard work always pays off." This certainly is true for CWAB! The month of March was a busy one with two simultaneous fundraisers. Our baked steak dinner, organized by Rhonda Spears, generated $830 for the building fund. Two-hundred fifty-six dinners were served - many going to local businesses. Consumers Eddie Adkins, Clarence Martin, and Patricia Aldridge assisted other volunteers.

The Easter Egg sale, also organized by Rhonda Spears, with assistance of Lori Spears and Linda Worthy, was quite popular. The sale total will be available for the May issue.

I want to thank Computer Instructor Kermit Nance for his hard work writing the letter of solicitation (found later in this issue). He did an excellent job!

Spring is here and we have a lot of activities planned. Call us and make plans to participate!

Until next month ...

There is a small inset photo with this article. It shows (Left to Right) Rhonda Spears, Linda Worthy, and Lori Spears as they were in the rpocess of making the Easter eggs during a recent fund-raiser.

Consumer Handbook Now Available

When taking a trip, a road map is always handy - it’s a guide to help you find your way. The same can be said of CWAB’s newly redesigned and reformatted consumer handbook.

The handbook, freely available to every consumer, tells how to receive services, gives brief program descriptions, and provides program specific contact information. To receive a copy, call 522-6991.

There is a graphic representation of the front cover of the new consumer handbook with this article. The cover has the word "handbook" in large letters from the bottom upwards on the left side of the page. "Cabell-Wayne Consumer Handbook" appears above the CWAB logo, while "Spring 2005" is centered underneath.

Orientation and Mobility

Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind offers Orientation & Mobility training through a certified instructor. This information is offered as informational guidelines when considering this service.

Orientation And Mobility Defined

Orientation and Mobility is an area of instruction that describes the ability of a person who is blind or severely visually impaired to move safely through the environment with dignity, determination and confidence.

Orientation describes a person’s understanding of where they are in space and how to find their way through an environment to a destination. Orientation includes the understanding of directionality (north, south, east, west) and comprehension of the magnitude and intricacies of the environment.

Mobility in the context of vision-related concerns describes the ability of a person to move safely and comfortably. Traditionally persons who are blind have used either human guides, guide dogs or white canes to assist them in mobility travel.

How Does A Person Who Is Blind Learn Orientation And Mobility Skills?

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) skills are taught by a certified Orientation and Mobility instructor or an Orientation and Mobility specialist. O&M instructors go through a rigorous educational and training program and are usually university trained. Some instructors receive training at centers, but all must be certified in order to be covered by liability insurance.

A person who is blind usually starts O&M instruction with an assessment of the particular needs that will be covered in an individualized program of instruction. The O&M instructor conducts this assessment. A plan is then written to include the estimated number of days or weeks of instruction, and the environment where the instruction will take place. Instruction almost always occurs in the real environment, so if a person needs to learn how to cross a particular intersection, that instruction takes place at the intersection. Some initial instruction may take place at a rehabilitation center, but most instruction is outside in all types of weather conditions, as needed.

What Skills Are Taught Through O&M?

When planning an O&M program for children the focus of training may include such things as:

* sensory awareness: gaining information about the world through hearing, smell, touch and proprioception

* spatial concepts: realizing that objects exist even if not heard or felt, and understanding the relationships which exist between objects in the environment

* searching skills: locating items or places efficiently

* independent movement: which includes crawling, rolling, walking, etc.

* sighted guide: using another person to aid in travel

* protective techniques: specific skills which provide added protection in unfamiliar areas

* cane skills: use of various cane techniques to clear one’s path or to locate objects along the way

Although Orientation & Mobility Specialists are primarily responsible for O&M training, their work may not always be done directly with the child. When the child is very young, for example, the O&M instructor may provide consultation to the vision teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, early intervention specialist, and the family. It is important that an O&M Specialist be a part of the team in order to build upon these early concepts to meet long-range goals. In Texas, the vision teacher makes the referral to the O&M Specialist for an O&M assessment.

Even visually impaired children who have motor impairments need training in orientation and mobility. Though their O&M goal may not be independent travel, they may need O&M to participate more fully in events in their environment. For example, understanding that your wheelchair is in front of you can help you find it to assist with the transfer to the chair. Knowing that your switch is on the right side of your lap-tray may allow you to play your CD player whenever you choose, instead of having to wait for someone to come help you. Even if you are not yet walking, it would probably be good to know that you could listen for the sounds mom is making in the kitchen to help you find your way to her.

Children who are deafblind also need orientation and mobility training. Because their other distance sense (hearing) is affected, orienting to their environment and traveling safely becomes even more important. Orientation and mobility specialists have specific knowledge which is critical to the child with deafblindness.

Orientation and mobility is important for every visually impaired child. It does not matter how young or old he is, how physically active or inactive, how much vision he has, or how smart a child he is, there are probably skills that he needs to develop or refine in the area of orientation and mobility.

Looking At O&M Skills

Sensory awareness

When a child can not access his world efficiently through his vision, he must learn to use his other senses more effectively. Systematic instruction is needed to develop the other senses for use in travel and finding things in the environment. He must understand that some of the sounds and smells and textures he experiences can be used as permanent markers (landmarks) to let him know where he is in the world. Other pieces of information may be there sometimes and not at other times (clues) such as the sound of the water fountain. Developing sensory awareness is critical for the child with visual impairments or blindness.

Sounds, when not paired with clear visual information, can be very confusing. Try sitting in a busy mall or park for a period of time with your eyes closed. You will probably hear sounds you can’t identify and be tempted to open your eyes, to try to pair a sound to its source. You might assume that sounds which get louder and louder are coming towards you because of your visual knowledge of the world. A child with a visual impairment may not make the same assumption. The ringing noise he hears may not mean "telephone" or that the honking sound may not mean "car." He needs help in learning to use his hearing to interpret the world around him. If his hearing is impaired even to a small degree that task will become much more difficult. Close your eyes and plug your ears while you stand on a busy street corner. Can you tell which way the traffic is flowing or when it will be safe to cross the street? Are you startled or distracted by other noises you hear? Children need to learn to localize sounds and use sound clues for orientation, straight line travel, and safety.

Though we may not be aware of it, we know much of the world through touch. However, if the things you touch or that touch you feel funny, or hurt, you may become resistant to using touch to examine things in your environment. Touch alone may not be helpful in identifying an object if you can’t touch the whole object at one time. Is the furry thing a cat or a rabbit? If you aren’t touching the ears or the teeth or the tail you might not know. Developing the tactual sense will help the child in ways that range from finding a toy he dropped on the floor to feeling the difference between the curb and the street with his cane.

Normally I don’t pay much attention to smells unless they are extremely pleasant or offensive, but I might use that kind of information to help me know exactly where I am in certain environments. Smells can also serve as landmarks and clues for environmental awareness. For example, the smells that can be found in my kitchen differ greatly from the smells in my bedroom. I can also smell food being cooked near mealtime in my kitchen, but after a meal I am more likely to smell the soap used in the dishwasher. If I am looking for a clue to my location, I need to know that both of those smells might mean I’m in the kitchen. The gym at school, unlike my kitchen at home, might always smell about the same. If I have no sight, this smell, especially combined with other clues and landmarks, might help me know that I am in the gym.

It is important for children with visual impairments to participate in activities that enable them to fully use their other senses. Learning to interpret the information they tune in to is equally important. Parents and educational staff, with support from the O&M specialist, can do a lot to help children develop their other senses.

Spatial concepts

"Go down the street three blocks and turn right at the corner. I live in the upstairs apartment of the large, red brick building on the left." Pretty clear directions right? What if you don’t know "blocks" and "corner" or "upstairs" and "left"? Doesn’t "down" mean under? How large is "large?" When vision is impaired these concepts are much more difficult to understand and need to be taught. How do you teach the concept of "corner" without vision? Do you touch corners or draw corners? If you can touch a corner or draw a corner, where do I find the corner to touch when I am walking along the street?

Orientation and mobility specialists work to develop distance, size and directional concepts in children with visual impairments. Mom and Dad, and Mrs. Henry the art teacher, may work on these concepts too, but having the support of an O&M professional would likely make their job much easier.

Our joints and muscles give us feedback about where our body parts are positioned. This is our proprioceptive sense. Proprioceptors located in the muscles and joints tell us if we are slumping or standing up straight, if our fingers are curled or extended, etc. Our vision system and our proprioceptive system work closely together. When vision is impacted, so is our proprioceptive sense. Children with visual impairments generally need help to learn where their bodies are in space, and in relation to things in the environment. The physical therapist and occupational therapist, along with the O&M instructor, can work directly with the child. They may also be able to suggest specific activities for the family to help their visually impaired child develop the proprioceptive sense.

Independent movement

Most children with visual impairments are capable of learning routes in familiar environments. They learn to use landmarks and clues to help them know where they are along a particular route. They learn specific adaptations to aid them in their movement. These might include understanding that tactual markers on doorways identify the gym or the restroom, using an adaptive mobility device or a cane to identify obstacles and drop-offs, or locating a street sign using a monocular. A primary goal of orientation and mobility training is to help each child with visual impairments achieve independent movement to as great a degree as possible.

Some children may be preparing to get a dog guide, or learning how to access public transportation to get across town to a job. For children with additional disabilities, independent movement might focus on traveling independently in a wheelchair, or learning how to help get yourself into a van using a lift. It might mean helping the child learn to control the speed of movement on his walker as he goes down a ramp.

Independent movement is tied to growth in other areas, such as communication and socialization. For example, though a child may not be able to tell you he’s hungry, if he can take you to the kitchen you will probably understand that he wants something to eat or drink. Peers are more likely to invite your daughter to go to the mall if she can keep up with the group by using sighted guide technique or traveling with a cane. Going where we want when we want gives us control and allows us to make choices.

How Can I Walk More Comfortably With A Friend Who Is Blind?

When a person who is blind travels with a friend or companion, a method called sighted guide technique allows them to travel together comfortably. The person who is blind simply grasps the guide with one hand slightly above the guide’s elbow and walks about 1/2 pace back to the side. The guide walks at a comfortable pace and with experience, it is very easy to move without concern through very complex narrow spaces, doors, escalators, uneven terrain and even some hiking challenges like stepping on stones to cross creeks. O & M instructors teach these specific methods as well as variations for persons who need physical support or for children.

How Does That White Cane Work?

The use of the white cane is a very specialized skill. There are two distinct methods of instruction that vary according to the length of the cane used and the methods used are specific to the length of the cane used.

The long cane method is taught by principles established by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), a consumer group of persons who are blind. In most cases the long cane is about the same height as the person and is used to clear a large area allowing the person to walk fairly fast. The cane is made out of flexible material and does not have a red strip at the bottom. The methods for using it properly are very specialized and are taught at the NFB rehabilitation centers. More information can be obtained by contacting the NFB website.

The Hoover method was developed by the Hines Rebahilitation Center for the Blind which is a part of the Veterans Administration. The white cane is a little shorter, coming from the ground to a height at about the middle of the breast bone and usually has a red strip at the base. It is used to clear the specific spot where the person will place their next foot when walking. It involves a specific rhythm and methods which are also very specialized. This technique is taught in most school programs and state rehabilitation agencies serving the blind.

How Does A Person Get A Guide Dog?

A guide dog is an excellent aid for some people, but a person must have good Orientation and Mobility skills before they will be accepted at a guide dog school. Dogs respond to commands of directionality so the person needs to know exactly how to get to their destination. Basic commands include "left", "right", "forward", and "stop". Some dogs also will respond to more advanced commands like "find the door" or "home".

To get a guide dog, a person needs a recommendation from an Orientation and Mobility Instructor and has to apply directly to the dog guide school of their chioce. Most schools require the person to be at least 16 or 18 years of age and have references indicating that they are capable of caring for the dog.

The cost varies depending upon the dog guide school. There are some that are no cost and others require the blind person themselves to pay a minimal fee for the dog and still others are sponsored by civic clubs. Some schools retain ownership of the dog, others release it to the ownership of the person.

Once a person is accepted to a school, the actual training is done at the facility and usually lasts for a full month. The person is matched with a dog of suitable temperament and ability for the specific guiding demands necessary. The person can make requests for specific breeds, but they may not always be accommodated. Persons with special needs such as additional disabilities or unusual travel demands, may need to wait for a suitable dog to become available. If necessary, follow-up by the school can be conducted in the home area, but usually an O&M Instructor can provide the necessary follow-up.

Related Websites

California Association of Orientation & Mobility Specialists

www.santarosa.edu/~adetrick/caoms.html

Careers at the Guide Dog Association of New Wales

www.guidedogs.com.au/careers/index.htm

Certification of O & M Instructors

www.shef.ac.uk/psychology/research/tmrg/

Electronic Travel Aids for the Blind

www.noogenesis.com/ETA.html

Electronic Travel Aids

www.ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au/~heyes/

Job Openings in Orientation and Mobility (Children)

www.spedex.com/jobs/jobs.htm

Job Openings in Orientation and Mobility (Adults)

www.nchrtm.okstate.edu/rrc/specialization/Results.CFM

Louisiana Center for the Blind Orientation & Mobility Program (NFB Long Cane Training Program)

www.lcb-ruston.com/om.html

Listing of Dog Guide Schools

www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/dogs.html

Listing of University Programs in Orientation and Mobility

www.blind.msstate.edu/irr/college.html

Orientation and Mobility skills for children who are not blind

http://isd.saginaw.k12.mi.us/~mobility/nonhome.htm

Tactile maps research

www.shef.ac.uk/psychology/research/tmrg

Teaching Orientation and Mobility to children

http://isd.saginaw.k12.mi.us/~mobility/intrhome.htm

Teaching Orientation and Mobility skills to deaf/blind people using a computer

www.dinf.org/csun_99/session0242.htm

Travel Vision

http://kathyz.home.mindspring.com/

University of California, Los Angeles Orientation and Mobility Program

www.calstatela.edu/academics/csoe/s_omobil/omhpg.html

Visoin Related Services: Orientation and Mobility

http://viguide.com/vsnmobility.htm

This article was compiled with information from:

"Orientation and Mobility Training: The Way to Go" By Carolina Martinez, O & M Specialist, TSBVI, with help from Kate Moss, Family Support Specialist, TSBVI, Texas Deaf/blind Outreach at:  www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/fall98/waytogo.htm and "Orientation and Mobility" from the Information and Resource Referral Project of Mississippi State at:  www.blind.msstate.edu/orientation.html.

There is a large half-page photo with this article. The picture shows CWAB’s O&M Instructor Nancy Henderson (on the right) with consumer Leoma Chapman (on the left) outdoors - it was a bright summery day, by the way! - Ms. Chapman is holding her mobility cane towards the ground and Ms. Henderson is giving her pointers on its use. There is a text paragraph underneath the picture. It reads: "Maneuverability is THE most frustrating issue for the blind and visually impaired. Proper tools and proven techniques will allow you to navigate, maneuver, and even conquer day-to-day obstacles which keep you from fully utilizing your potential. Don’t let fear of being unable to get from point "A" to point "B" hold you back - Orientation and Mobility is your key to the world.

For full details on the CWAB O&M program, call 522-6991."

ORAL HULL FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND, INC.

WE'VE GOT YOUR GET-A-WAY!!!!!!

The Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind announces it's summer 2005 camp dates for blind and low vision youth and adults. Our 23 acre site offers nature walks, swimming, fishing, sports, great food and entertainment!

The cost is just $350.00 for the week, and some camperships are available for both camps.

Adult Camp will be in session from July 16th to July 23rd. Youth Camp is from August 20th to August 27th.

There is no obligation for requesting an application.

Write to: Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind, PO Box 157, Sandy, Oregon 97055. Or call: (503) 668-6195

Email: oralhull@teleport.com.

Web: www.oralhull.org.

The Northeast Corner By Steve Albro

"SCAN" Agency News - Cleveland Sight Center, March 2005

In the 1973 issue of the Long Cane News, Ned T. Johnson and George Kording wrote an insightful article on rural travel entitled "MOBILITY ON THE FARM - THE RURAL REPORT." Over the years this article has become a classic in the orientation and mobility literature. Here are some excerpts:

"Mobility skills have been centered in urban areas and were intended for use in a city or small town. Modifications of mobility skills and new guidelines need to be drawn to facilitate travel in the wide-open spaces.

First, gloves need to be worn on the trailing hand to prevent splinters from wooden barns or fences or cuts from barbed wire. Adjustments in the height of the hand are needed to allow for the height of the trailed surface. Also, boots ankle high or higher are a must because mud and livestock manure are a fact of life on a farm.

Direction indicators are the prevailing westerly winds in the northern hemisphere and that level fields are laid out east to west. Another direction indicator is the concept that creeks flow into streams that flow into rivers, which flow into the sea. This method is foolproof for finding the sea but not much else.

A cow can be an effective sighted guide when traveling between pasture and barn. Grab the horn (either horn will do) and not the tail as originally taught. The new method will bring about better results in the end. Lesser animals are also effective. Seeing eye chickens and ducks have been used, ducks being preferred because of their buoyancy in water. In the event that the traveler falls into a well or a pond, the duck can be used as a flotation device.

After walking in the fields and barnyards remember to clean the cane before entering the house. This is done by gripping the cane with both hands just below the grip and placing the shaft of the cane between the legs. Then pull upwards until the cane tip clears the thighs scraping mud, grass and dung on your pants or bib overalls.

These few hints will help the rural traveler be outstanding in the field."

Gottcha! How far into the article did you read before you knew you had been had? Even professionals have been taken in by at least the first paragraphs for over 30 years.

Remember ... If we don’t meet in the future, we’re sure to meet in the pasture.

There is a photo with this article. It is of the author, Steve Albro. He is wearing a dark business suit and is broadly smiling. (That smile certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with the article would it? (Ha Ha)

CWAB Solicitation letter

Dear Friend:

Please forgive me, but may I ask you some personal questions? When you were growing up, going to school, and building a career, did you have to overcome any physical hardships? If you overcame them you are to be commended. If you did not have any, no doubt you consider yourself richly blessed.

But what if you had been visually impaired – or even blind? Could you have planned the same career? At the same school? The same classes? In the same buildings? Could you have obtained those part-time jobs that most of us had while making our way through school? Perhaps so, but I think you will agree – life surely would have been different.

Think about it – the simplest everyday tasks, like matching clothes, going to the grocery store, cooking meals, just getting around – all of these – plus the more difficult things mentioned above – grow into very intimidating problems with solutions not always simple.

Many courageous people in Cabell and Wayne counties, and beyond, have struggled all their lives with problems of visual impairment and blindness. One middle-aged lady had planned a medical career, but her visual impairment stole that dream from her. A self-employed man of middle age saw his business – and his feeling of self-worth and dignity – disappear with the onset of diabetes-related blindness. Many young people have the usual fears of growing up – plus they have to deal constantly with the reality of their progressive visual impairment – and, already for some – the stark reality of blindness.

Thankfully, they do not have to stand alone. For nearly three decades, Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind has been committed to promoting and advocating the economic, educational, and social welfare of the blind and visually impaired so that they can maintain a lifestyle comparable to others – like you and me.

In the beginning only a few could be helped. In 1989 the CWAB Services Division was formed and staffed with the aid of additional funding by the Teubert Foundation. The consumers of CWAB enjoy a combination of services offered by no other agency in this area. These include free transportation, orientation and mobility training, rehabilitation aids, the loan of closed circuit television and computers, in-home assistance with shopping and other daily errands, instruction in basic and intermediate computing, support groups, crafts, recreational activities, and many seasonal events.

Over the years, hundreds have benefited …

…like the lady, tears of joy streaming down her face, who came to thank CWAB for helping her get the first job in her life that paid more than minimum wage…

…or, like the small business owner whose spouse and he were taught basic spreadsheet use that assisted them in tracking expenses and income…

…like the excited elementary student who exclaimed, "Man, this is really cool! I didn’t think I could ever do this with a computer!" …

…like the parents who reluctantly took their visually impaired child on a CWAB-sponsored camping trip, found that they liked the experience, and are now avid campers…

…like several college freshmen who found that orientation and mobility training from CWAB conquered many of their fears about getting around campus…

…or, like the young and elderly alike who find friends and fellowship at the various support group meetings and social events at CWAB.

Yes, CWAB offers something to people of all ages. Unfortunately, the ever-expanding consumer base is nearing six hundred (600). The space in our current building is now utilized to the limit. Therefore, CWAB now has the need to build a new facility, hire more staff, and find additional funding sources.

The new building will house office and storage space, an adaptive technology training center, a conference center, rental offices for blind-affiliated agencies, and a recreation center. The estimated cost is $1,500,000. The facility will allow us to help train other professionals working in the blindness field, regionally and nationally. Recreational activities could be scheduled in our own facility rather than being placed offsite. Social events that are now crowding our present conference room could be held much more comfortably in the proposed building. Our ability to improve our consumers’ lives would be enhanced in every way.

The property is already purchased. Most of the professional staff is in place. Architectural drawings have been made and are available for inspection. A small part of the money has been raised. But the greater need still exists.

It has been said that humankind reaches no greater height of nobility than when it reaches out to assist those in need. The visually impaired and blind consumers of the Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind are without doubt as richly deserving as any population in the region, nation, or world. They have unique challenges and unique needs. Please help us meet those needs.

I invite you to join our effort now…please reach out with us at this opportune time…reach out by contributing today the most generous gift that your position in life allows.

‘Thank you’ seems like such an inadequate expression at times like this, but please know that the depth of gratitude felt by the consumers of CWAB will be deep, long lasting, and measureless. Thank you for the help you choose to give.

Sincerely, Paul Slone, Executive Director

Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind

P. S. If you want to contribute in memory of someone or in celebration of something, please fill in the necessary information on the enclosed card and mail to our address stated on the card. Checks may be made payable to Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind Services Division. You may also make your contribution in person by stopping by our office. Our hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. I would love to meet you and tell you more about CWAB and what it offers.

The following are statistics from various sources about the causes of Blindness:

• 97% of all blindness results from common eye diseases in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

• 0.8% of diabetic adults attending specialist diabetes services suffered new blindness in Australia 2002 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)

• 12,000-24,000 new cases of blindness annually are due to diabetic retinopathy in the US (National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet, NIDDK, 2003)

• Diabetes causes 8,000 new cases of blindness in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

• 5,500 people each year become blind from glaucoma in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

• 120,000 people are currently blind from glaucoma in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

• 104,000 people are legally blind from age-related Macular Degeneration in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

• 30,000 people go blind because of uveitis in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)

Cause details for Blindness: Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20 to 74 years old. 1

Retinal disorders are a leading cause of blindness in the United States. The retina is a thin lining on the back of the eye. It is made up of cells that get visual images and pass them on to the brain. Retinal disorders include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment. 2

Underlying condition causes of Blindness: The list of possible underlying conditions mentioned in various sources as possible causes of Blindness includes:

• Congenital blindness

• Retinitis pigmentosa

• Diabetic retinopathy

• Eye injury

• Raised intracranial pressure

• Detached retina

• Glaucoma

• Eye tumors (see Eye symptoms)

• Brain tumors

• Meningitis

• Chronic eye inflammation

Footnotes:

1. excerpt from Diabetes Statistics in the United States: NIDDK

2. excerpt from Aging and Your Eyes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA.

(More information about blindness can be viewed at http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com.)

Potting Party Planned

The annual CWAB potting party is set for Friday, May 6th beginning at noon.

Call the Services Division office at 522-6991 to make your plans to attend!

There is a photo with this article. It shows a consumer (Bill Sayre working with a plant during last year’s "Potting Party."

Announcing CWAB’s Semi-Annual Rummage & Bake Sale

Friday, April 1st and Saturday, April 2^nd from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at CWAB’s Services Division office - 38 Washington Ave., Huntington, WV.

To donate items (no clothing except baby clothes) or for more information, please call 522-6991.

Shop early for best selection!

An open letter from:

<RETURN>

All material contained on this website is the sole property of CWAB, Inc. and may not be copied, reprinted, or otherwise redistributed without the prior written consent of CWAB, Inc.

(C) 2000 CABELL-WAYNE ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND

All Rights Reserved