It has been said that in order to truly grow, we must be willing to stretch. Vivian Chong, past CNIB Lake Joe guest, long-time CNIB Lake Joe volunteer and yoga practitioner has been stretching her whole life and encourages everyone to “expand yourself!”
Vivian suddenly lost all her sight in 2004 and talks about her “coming of age story” as a young woman with vision loss. “No one tells you how to transition into adulthood after you encounter a big accident,” she explains. “Adjusting with a new ability and identity was very difficult.”
She had been looking for activities in a supportive place where she could feel safe and just “be herself” when she first heard of CNIB Lake Joe. “I was excited by the prospect of travel and taking my mind off my current troubles,” Vivan describes. “I wanted to make new friends and find my own way. Just the idea of camp was very liberating.”
While she admits being scared about finding a social group to fit into and worried about her inability to swim well, she was super excited about the canoes, kayaks and sailboats. “I’ve got to put on my ‘OK’ face,” she recalls challenging herself. Even though she was grieving the changes in her body
and her recent vision loss, she decided to give camp a try.
Vivian came to camp for the first time by herself and she jumped right in. While she didn’t know how to swim, paddleboard, or kayak in the beginning, that sure changed. Now she teaches paddleboard yoga, and swims competitively as a triathlete! Her confidence as a camper grew in leaps and bounds, and she eventually transitioned from a camper to a volunteer.
Vivian’s first volunteer experience at CNIB Lake Joe was in an adult week program where she was exposed to people with sight loss who were much older than her. In conversations with these guests, she heard about their challenges and hopes and what they needed to live a bigger life. “I became aware of the gaps no one had filled in and I wondered if I could fill in these
gaps for myself and maybe for others too.”
And that’s just what she did. Always active at camp, she thought it made sense to have a good stretch after being active and asked if there were any yoga classes offered at camp. There weren’t, so she decided to fill that gap.
“I don’t ask what people can offer me, but what I can do for myself,” Vivian shares. “It took me a long time to become a certified yoga instructor. I was challenged, asked many questions, and required accommodations. But I didn’t let that get in my way.” She now teaches yoga classes at CNIB Lake Joe each summer and keeps busy year-round offering virtual classes for CNIB participants and yoga enthusiasts in Ottawa and Toronto.
“I love being a guest and a volunteer at CNIB Lake Joe,” shares Vivian. “Both are my identities. I don’t see myself as a blind person most of the time. I live with a disability, but I don’t feel like I’m blind. I say, ‘I’m a yoga teacher’, or ‘I’m a playwright, singer/songwriter and theatre creator.’ Being blind is a byproduct of life. It doesn’t stop me from making things and making connections.”
Would you like to be part of our awesome volunteer team? Explore our wide variety of volunteer opportunities and apply online. For more information, contact Sherri Helsdingen, Manager, Community Engagement at sherri.helsdingen@cnib.ca or 705-241-2907.