By: Dawn Pickering
In January 2020, my son Ollie, who was battling cancer, experienced a sudden relapse that left him blind at the age of 7. Unexpectedly thrust into the world of parenting a child with vision loss, I had to learn to navigate the complex world of rehabilitation services, and I resolved to help make it easier for others to access vision loss support in future.
From the outset, I was committed to ensuring that Ollie would not only survive but also thrive with blindness. We have become involved in blindness advocacy, participating in the development of CNIB’s New Strategic Plan, The Way Forward, and are passionate about the “Our Kids Will Thrive” commitment.
We were pleased to participate on a family panel at the Parliamentary launch of CNIB’s Charter of Rights of Children Who Are Blind or Low Vision. The Charter affirms the educational and medical rights of children with vision loss and outlines the basic supports that they need to excel both in and out of school.
The breakfast reception was well-attended, with representatives from many of CNIB’s programs and partner organizations present. An excellent braille tactile art installation was created for the event, and the interactive family panel was well received by attendees. As a board member of the Ontario Parents of Visually Impaired Children (OPVIC), I was also pleased to join other CNIB partners in signing the Charter on behalf of our members.
I remain beyond grateful that my son is not only alive but thriving because we find or create the support that he needs. But it should not matter what part of the country you live in, what school your child attends, nor where they receive medical care. All children with vision loss deserve to receive effective and equitable support to give them all the opportunity to progress, thrive, and be fully included in society.
You can get involved by signing the Children’s Charter online, and learn more about CNIB’s strategic plan, The Way Forward and the “Our Kids Will Thrive” commitment by visiting: https://www.cnib.ca/en/our-kids-will-thrive.