The VIP Support Group, visually impaired persons who are very important people, is holding an event to raise the awareness of the general population about the blind. The blind can do just about anything anyone else can, but how it's done is the challenge.
Come Walk in My Shoes, an event hosted by the VIP Support Group, enables people with sight to experience the world of the visually impaired. It's set for 1-4 p.m. Saturday in the McLane Room at the Temple Public Library.
"We'll be issuing some challenges," said Deanna DeGraaff, VIP Support Group chair.
Those who take the challenge will be blindfolded or may wear glasses that simulate different types of vision problems.
"You get to eat, drink, count money, or do a mobility exercise with the use of a retired guide dog," she said. "My last retired golden is going to be the guide dog during the event."
All of the typical activities that people take for granted will be showcased, including putting toothpaste on a toothbrush and trying to determine what medication to take.
"If we can make one person more aware of the everyday challenges of someone who's blind, we'll have accomplished our goal," DeGraaff said.
"I've had people tell me if they were blind they'd become a vegetable and not do anything," DeGraaff said. "There are a lot worse things out there than being blind."
DeGraaff explains that at least blindness is not terminal, "that is unless you walk out in front of a moving vehicle."
"We want people to understand that we're no different from anyone else," she said. "We can do anything anyone else can do - go to a job, go to school, play games. The only thing we can't do is drive cars and they're working on a talking car for us."
DeGraaff was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of inherited diseases that cause retinal degeneration. She was diagnosed with the disease at age 13, but didn't begin to have problems until after she had her second child, about 25 years ago.
"Now, I have light perception," she said. "I can tell the lights are on, but I can't see anything else."
Technology has been a huge help to the blind. There's software that will read aloud what's on the computer screen and programs that will magnify text for those who still have some vision, but need larger print. DeGraaff has a microwave that talks.
"Technology is always improving," she said. "A hundred years ago we were institutionalized, because we couldn't do anything, but stand on the street corner and sell pencils. We've come a long way."
DeGraaff has three granddaughters and the middle one has been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. The youngster is experiencing night blindness, often a first symptom of the disease.
"She's 6 and has already started using the cane to get prepared," she said.
DeGraaff's granddaughter can still read, but she's being taught Braille now, because it will be easier for her to learn it while she's young.
There are seven different forms of retinitis pigmentosa, DeGraaff said. DeGraaff initially lost her peripheral vision. Her mother didn't lose her vision until she was in her 50s.
As far as treatments, the most promising seems to be coming out of stem cell research taking place in Europe, she said.
"There may be no help for me, but I'm hoping there will be something available for my grandchildren," DeGraaff said.
Degraaff was one of five children and three have retinitis pigmentosa. DeGraaff's two children and her sister's two children have the disease. The sisters each have a grandchild with retinitis pigmentosa.
Temple's implementation of a bus system has been a huge help to the special needs community.
"Transportation is our No. 1 problem, you can't always rely on family and friends to take you around," DeGraaff said.
DeGraaff gets around with the help of her guide dog.
Princess, a yellow Lab that is DeGraaff's third dog, was picked up in Oregon about three months ago. Her first two guide dogs were golden retrievers.
Princess, a youngster at age 2, is making DeGraaff work, she said. "My goldens were so easy by comparison."
Having been born and trained in Oregon, Princess is not enamored with Texas summers.
"She's the princess, but I have to remind her that I'm the queen," DeGraaff said.
A guide dog will let its owner know when it's ready to retire. The average number of years a guide dog will work is eight years. However, the owner's level of activity and the stress of the living environment play a role in how long a dog will work.
"If you live in New York you'd be lucky to get three years," DeGraaff said. "If you live up in the mountains, where it's nice and peaceful, you could get 10 to 12 years."
DeGraaff said her last two dogs each worked for 5½ years.
DeGraaff does a lot of school programs, because she wants to prepare the younger generation to be accepting of people with disabilities. Princess has participated in two school presentations and has done well.
"Princess is going to be a great dog," she said.
