What's Inside
- 21 year old blind woman pilots plane across the US
- Blind man repeatedly bitten by police dog
- Microsoft improves SeeingAI for better health product information
- Ivy League universities targets of ADA lawsuits over web sites
- And, roughly 70 stories about blindness and blind people from the entire English speaking world
Editorial By Chris Hofstader
This was a big week for blindness related news. We have nearly seventy stories in today's news digest and about 25 more in tomorrow's science, medicine and preventing one. At the same time, as happens almost every week, a few stories got a lot of coverage while a lot of others were only covered in a single source.
The biggest story of the week was that it celebrated white cane awareness, with some groups calling it "White Cane Awareness Day" and others using similar names for their events. So many groups did so many different things related to white canes this week that we almost have at least one story about it in almost every section of the digest.
World Blind Herald is entirely neutral on the topic of different blindness advocacy groups. We're not NFB, not ACB or any other organization but, rather, we cover the widest array of stories about blindness and blind people as possible. This week, though, it might look like we're supported by NFB as there are a number of stories related to NFB this week and all are quite positive.
Another story that got a lot of coverage this week was about a 21 year old blind gal who piloted a plane across the United States. She wasn't the first blind person to do this but I believe this is the first time a woman has done it.
A sad story that got a ton of coverage this week was about a blind man who was misidentified by police as a suspect, handcuffed and then bitten repeatedly by the K9 officer (police dog). This happened in UK but the headline appeared all over the world.
My personal favorite article this week is the one about the garbage man who found an abandoned baby and raised the child himself. The story is quite sweet and has a terrific ending.
We hope you enjoy this edition of the digest.
How It's Organized
Gonz Blinko's Blind News Digest is a very simple page to
Read. The categories are at heading level 2 and the stories are links at heading level 3. So, navigation to the sections and stories you find interesting is quite simple.
Braille
Technology
Samsung eyes screening of 150,000 Indians with unique AI camera
Eyes are sensitive and prone to infection and so even though the disposable and extended-wear soft contact lenses do not need much care, conventional ones should be cleaned properly(Representative image)
Samsung on Thursday said it has set a target of screening 150,000 individuals in India for eye diseases using its unique 'EYELIKE Fundus' camera by the end of 2023. This story comes to us from: Times Now.
3-D prints let blind child see photos, his way
Destiny Fiaschetti treasures the photos of her six-year-old son Luca June, who also goes by Junie. "Pictures have always been really important to me. I take a lot of pictures. He loves it. Loves getting his picture taken and he's always telling me to take pictures of him doing stuff," said Fiaschetti. But her son, who she adopted when he was a baby, can't see the pictures the way she can. He is blind. "We always talk about it's not that he can't see. He sees with his hands and I see with my eyes and that's it.That's just you know our little difference," said Fiaschetti. She wanted to find something tactile that he could explore. She found out about a business in Illinois that creates 3-D prints. She caught the moment when Junie explored those pictures. This story comes to us from: FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Haleon and Microsoft use AI to enhance health product accessibility
World Sight Day, Haleon and Microsoft are launching a joint effort to make health products more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision, with artificial intelligence (AI) technology that narrates product labels. New enhancements in the free Microsoft Seeing AI app will help advance inclusivity and improve accessibility. Across the U.S. and U.K., consumers will hear important label information for over 1,500 everyday consumer health products such as Sensodyne, Centrum, Emergen-C, ChapStick and Aquafresh. This story comes to us from: PR Newswire.
NWEA Shares Progress on Using AI to Identify and Remove Barriers Within Mathematics for Students with Visual Impairments
Project created new prototypes for screen reader users that have broader implications for making math accessible beyond K-12 education. This story comes to us from: Yahoo.
Meijer partnership makes shopping easier for the blind and visually impaired
Meijer has partnered with the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) to make shopping in its stores much easier for blind and low-vision customers, this month and beyond. The stores are working with an app called Aira, a visual interpreting service that works live, on demand. It connects shoppers with a human who delivers skilled, reliable, virtual interpretation. Users typically pay per minute to use the app, but it will now be free for anyone who needs it in any Meijer location. This story comes to us from: FOX 17.
Blindness Organizations
National Federation of the Blind celebrates White Cane Awareness Day
Blind and visually impaired individuals are celebrating National White Cane Awareness Day, a time of national observance appreciating their achievements.
A white cane is a symbol representing the independence of blind and visually impaired people.
Elizabeth Greenwood of Norwalk, who is blind, believes it is important to build awareness and promote safety.
“That's what's so important to me on this national day of appreciation. There are a lot of individuals out there who are disabled, and this is how we survive and get through our daily life. This story comes to us from: News 12 Bronx.
Paul Pepper: Gary Wunder, National Federation of the Blind, "Blind Equality Achievement Month
October is designated as Blind Equality Achievement Month. National Federation of the Blind president (Columbia chapter), GARY WUNDER, joins us to talk about his recent trip to a convention in the Big Easy, where general advancements for those who are sight-impaired (like home tests for diseases and audio descriptions for entertainment) were the talk of the town. This story comes to us from: KBIA.
Partners | National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico
The New Mexico Commission for the Blind assists blind persons to become employed, and to live independently in their homes and communities. The Commission also sponsors NFB-NEWSLINE for the Blind, a free newspaper reading service that includes NFB-NEWSLINE. For more information about services offered by the Commission, check out their website at www.cfb.state.nm.us. This story comes to us from: National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico.
National blind group celebrates 45 years of visiting Eastbourne
More than 70 blind and visually impaired people will attend the celebratory social weekend in Eastbourne from tomorrow (October 14) until Monday (October 17). The National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFB UK) has enjoyed visiting Eastbourne since 1976. Fiona Musgrove, who has led this year’s organising team, said: “We have been very impressed by the support given by the Cumberland Hotel including providing menus for Weekenders to either Braille or use on their smart phones over the weekend. This story comes to us from: Sussex Express.
[Vision for the future][123]
The common eye conditions that can cause vision impairment include cataract, corneal opacity, glaucoma, trachoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy, and refractive error. Eye conditions are projected to increase because of various factors like our ageing population, lifestyle and non-communicable diseases. This story comes to us from: Borneo Bulletin.
Ora and Ipswich Lions Club launch partnership to support vision internationally on World Sight Day
It will work with the Lions Club, which champion's vision health. … For people living with blindness, visual impairments, or ocular diseases. This story comes to us from: Ipswich Local News.
World Sight Day: Lions Club Creates Health Awareness On Blindness
Lions in International District 404B1 Nigeria, has escalated its healthcare support intervention by creating awareness among Nigerians on major causes of blindness. The Club, had gathered key health professionals to provide insight and guide the public on how to avert blindness as it joined the rest of the world to celebrate world sight day. At the event organised in honour of late Lion Kola Sodipo on Thursday in Lagos, experts in the medical field warned of dangers associated with diabetes saying that diabetic patients could risk going blind if not detected early and treated. This story comes to us from: Leadership News.
Walk For Vision raises money, awareness for ND Association For The Blind
The North Dakota Association For The Blind hosts its 24th Walk For Vision fundraiser. The Horace Lions Club donated $6,300 to the association. Officials say most of the money will go towards its summer camps which teach those with sight loss or low vision to adapt to life with a disability. This story comes to us from: KVRR.
Lighthouse for the Blind honors 'White Cane Day
Dozens of visually impaired men and women gathered at Beautify San Antonio Park for free resources on how to better navigate through life using a white cane both physically and emotionally. This story comes to us from: – KSAT.com.
Waymo Launches AV Initiative for People With Disabilities
Self-driving tech company Waymo has launched a new initiative that could give people with disabilities more of a say on how autonomous vehicles (AVs) are developed. The California-based firm, owned by Google parent Alphabet, has formed the Waymo Accessibility Network, which initially consists of 13 leading disability advocates, but is likely to expand in the years ahead. This story comes to us from: IoT World Today.
Aberdeen blind woman backs campaign to challenge outdated perceptions about sight loss
A blind Aberdeen woman, Amanda Foster, has backed a campaign to challenge outdated perceptions about sight loss. This story comes to us from: Press and Journal.
Education
GE Appliances donates kitchen for blind students in Louisville
GE Appliances donated a full kitchen for students at Central High School who are blind or have low vision. This story comes to us from: wdrb.com.
Orbis and UC Davis team up to train eye care teams from Latin America
In the leadup to World Sight Day, global eye care nonprofit Orbis International and UC Davis Health announce the launch today of a two-week training project on board the Flying Eye Hospital – a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board a plane. Orbis’s clinical staff and volunteer faculty (medical experts) along with UC Davis Health physicians and staff will share their knowledge with nearly 50 ophthalmologists, ophthalmology residents, nurses, and biomedical engineers from Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. This story comes to us from: UC Davis Health.
How to use a white cane? Casper specialist helps blind, low-vision students master navigation skills
Saturday marks White Cane Safety Day, and the Wyoming Council of the Blind has been engaging in efforts to help people understand what white canes are and how people who are blind or low vision sometimes use them to navigate community spaces. Cheryl Godley, new president for the Wyoming Council of the Blind, connected Oil City News with Melissa Walker, a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist who has worked primarily with children to help them master techniques for navigating with white canes. This story comes to us from: Oil City News.
Employment
Blind CEO at Charlotte plant turned rejection into resilience
Blind CEO at Charlotte plant turned rejection into resilience. This story comes to us from: YouTube.
Designer's Artisanal Brooms Woven by Blind Women Make Them Financially Independent
Right beside the doorway at the entrance to Lakshmi Menon’s home in Kerala, there is a sight that one does not see very often — two broomsticks side by side adorning the wall like any other piece of art would. The broomsticks have a story behind them and a great one at that, as the 48-year-old designer tells us. Albeit attractive and colourful, one may point out that the pattern isn’t perfect in a few places. Remark this fallacy to Lakshmi, and she is ready with a heart-rendering response. This story comes to us from: The Better India.
Presidential pens are made by blind Americans
In 1938, the time of the Great Depression, the government wanted to help blind workers, who were already at a competitive disadvantage.
President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Wagner O’Day Act…it meant that the federal government must buy certain products blind Americans made..that included pens. This story comes to us from: WYTV.
Meet Jerome Jackson, the blind massage therapist
At first glance you may not immediately recognise that Jerome Jackson is blind. Like other skilled massage therapists, the 32-year-old goes about performing his tasks with ultimate ease, expertly stroking, kneading and tapping the bodies of his clients. "I am an expert at the massages," said Jackson, who lost his sight in 2001 and began his journey as a masseur in 2012. He said he was introduced to massage therapy by a friend who invited him to be trained and certified. This story comes to us from: Jamaica Star.
Discrimination and Inaccessibility
Broadway star Lillias White chastises deaf woman twice for using her closed captioning device in theater
illias White, has been slammed for mistreating a woman who was partially deaf and blind during a show after she mistook her closed captioning device for a cellphone. White berated the fan, Samantha Coleman, twice during her performance at the Walter Kerr Theater in Manhattan. This story comes to us from: MEAWW.
Safety
Make environment safe for visually impaired children
Mr Israel Akrobortu, Volta Regional Director, Department of Children, has called on societies and families to ensure that children especially visually impaired, feel safe in their communities and homes. He said since the children cannot see properly, people within the neighbourhood who have the eyes to see must ensure that the visually impaired children were protected to the fullest. This story comes to us from: News Ghana.
Madison celebrates White Cane Safety Day
Madison officials have named Oct. 15 "White Cane Safety Day" to celebrate the achievements of the blind and visually impaired. The day is also meant to bring attention to the White Cane Law, which requires drivers to come to a full stop before approaching closer than 10 feet to a pedestrian who is using a white cane. This story comes to us from: wkow.com.
VIDEO | Del. reaches out with preparedness information for blind & visually impaired
Imagine being in an unfamiliar environment – would you be able to get out quickly? If a disaster threatens at home, would you know where to grab essential items such as medications? Now, imagine being blind or visually impaired in that scenario. The Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired, BlindSight Delaware and New Castle County recently held an awareness program at the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center, taking into consideration the special challenges that face the visually impaired. This story comes to us from: WDEL.
Edinburgh crossing designed for blind people branded 'confusing' and a 'big muddle
A pedestrian crossing on Edinburgh Elm Row has been branded 'confusing' by a campaigner for road safety. Although the crossing was designed with tactile pavements to aid people with visual impairments across the road, a local expert believes the “over engineered” and “costly” design has made it a dangerous and confusing crossing for those with visual impairments. This story comes to us from: Edinburgh Live.
Poverty
Economic woes' pushing Cambodia's disabled singers onto the streets
The singers had found fewer philanthropists hired them to sing, which forced them to perform on the street. This story comes to us from: Asia News Network.
World White Cane Day: Blind people in Odisha cry foul over non-distribution of sticks, lack of training
Blind people in Odisha have brought allegations that the Odisha government is neither providing white canes to beneficiaries nor is imparting training to them on how to use the sticks. White cane is an important mobility tool and a symbol of independence. Canes have been used by visually-impaired people for centuries but white cane was not in use before the 20th century. This story comes to us from: OdishaTV.
Crime
Home healthcare worker pleads guilty to sexually abusing 76-year-old woman in Preble County
A Preble County home healthcare worker accused of sexually abusing a 76-year-old woman with mental disabilities is pleading guilty to charges. Brandon Velez, 24, was indicted Aug. 1 on two counts of gross sexual imposition and one count patient abuse for an incident that happened in Eaton in March 2022. This story comes to us from: Yahoo News.
A caregiver of a blind woman allegedly used her credit card for over $5,500 in food purchases
This story has an audio component.
A blind woman's caregiver allegedly used her credit card to buy more than $5,500 worth of food. This story comes to us from: Journal Times.
Woman pretended to be blind for 15 years to obtain millionaire benefits from the government
A 65-year-old woman made millions of profits after posing as a sick person, thereby deceiving everyone, including the UK government and her relatives. She claimed to be she was blind and suffer from multiple sclerosis. Christina Pomfrey received several social benefits: economic support, housing and disability benefits, among others, according to the Daily Mail media. The woman came to receive 13,000 pounds (about 15,560 dollars) per month, an income that is five times higher than that of an average worker. This story comes to us from: Ruetir.
Blind self defence instructor is fighting crime in 'Daredevil' fashion
David Black, who hails from Haggs, is registered blind but, like the fictional crime fighting lawyer Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, he does not let that hold him back in his daily life. In fact, much like Daredevil, David is actually fighting crime by passing on his skills to others in order to help them defend themselves if they are attacked. This story comes to us from: Falkirk Herald.
Guide Dogs
Guide Dogs for the Blind puppies-in-training take training ride on TexRAIL
More than a dozen puppies took a ride on the TEXRail on Saturday as part of their training to become guide dogs for the blind. Guide Dogs for the Blind organized the Oct. 15 excursion, which led the puppies into the Butterfly Flutterby festival. The trip is meant to help the puppies get used to navigating public transit and get better acclimated to large crowds. This story comes to us from: CBS News.
Service dogs encompass more than those who help the sight-impaired
With respect to a recent letter whereby the author proposes to prohibit certain animals from public buildings, offices, business establishments, and stores, it is useful to review state and Federal law. The Americans with Disabilities Act provides that service animals are defined as dogs trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples include guiding the blind, alerting those who are deaf, and other similar functions. The work/task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort/emotional support are not service animals under ADA. This story comes to us from: The Sun Chronicle.
Politics
Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans Priorities for the 115th Congress, Second Session
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. This story comes to us from: National Federation of the Blind.
Blind woman says Freedom Convoy protest left her with permanent hearing loss
The first witness, a legally blind resident of downtown Ottawa, flinched as a recording of the horns resounded in the conference room for the benefit of the commissioner, lawyers, protest convoy organizers and members of the public. The witness, Victoria De La Ronde, told the commission the protest that arrived in Ottawa in late January was an "assault on my hearing," which she relied on to navigate the city independently. This story comes to us from: Kelowna Now.
Tirana, Blind People Protest for Better Living Conditions
The blind people protested this Saturday in Tirana, demanding the improvement of the infrastructure and the increase of the payment they receive. This story comes to us from: Albanian Daily News.
A Proclamation on Blind Americans Equality Day, 2022
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Presidential Proclamation honoring the independent spirit of blind Americans and calling on us all to help build a more accessible Nation. Twenty-six years later, in 1990, we came together as Democrats and Republicans to pass the most sweeping civil rights legislation in a generation — the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — improving the lives of the now more than 60 million Americans living with a disability, including more than 7 million with vision loss. This story comes to us from: The White House.
Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Fourteen to the Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind
Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Sead Bekric, Sophia Eccleston, Paul Edwards, Paul Martinez, Roxann Mayros, Ciawanda McDonald, Arthur Moody, Misty Porter, and Denise Valkema and the reappointment of Nancy Bateh, Jorge Hernandez, Patricia Lipovsky, Donté Mickens, and Bessie Outman to the Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind. This story comes to us from: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Legal
Police dog bites blind man in Tennessee church hostel, prompting lawsuit
A legally blind man said he had no verbal warning when a police dog burst into his kitchen in a church hostel in Memphis, Tennessee, and left him with multiple bite wounds and a bruised tailbone. This story comes to us from: KFOR.
[My wife denies me sex, feeds her lover in my house, blind man tells court]
A 43-year-old visually-impaired man of Kabwata Township in Lusaka, Zambia, Paul Phiri, has dragged his 25-year-old wife, Mary Chitala, before the Lusaka Boma Local Court, seeking that it dissolves their marriage on the accounts of battery, infidelity and denial of his conjugal right. According to Zambia Observer, Paul complained that any slight argument with his wife usually ended with him receiving slaps from her which almost all the time sent him staggering and colliding with walls or falling to the ground. As if that was not enough, Paul also complained that he had been emotionally and psychologically tortured by the mother of his three children whose lover he identified as Hilary came to their matrimonial home, sometimes as late as 11:00 pm to pick her for sleepover. This story comes to us from: Tribune Online.
Brown website accused of violating Americans with Disabilities Act
Senior, represented by Gottlieb & Associates, is asking the court to certify a nationwide class of all legally blind individuals in the United States. This story comes to us from: The Brown Daily Herald.
[Harvard University class action claims website inaccessible to visually impaired][
It looks like it's a bad week for the Ivy League regarding accessibility. I haven't looked at the Harvard web site in a long time but I will say that when I was attending classes at Harvard, the accessibility they provided for me was absolutely outstanding. They may have web site accessibility problems but on the ground they do an excellent job for students with disabilities.
Harvard University failed to design its website so that it would be fully accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Milagros Senior filed the class action lawsuit against Harvard University Oct. 7 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Senior is a legally blind person who uses a screen reader to browse website content. According to her lawsuit, Harvard has failed to design and operate its websites—harvard.edu and gocrimson.com—to be fully accessible to her and other blind or visually-impaired persons. This story comes to us from: Top Class Actions.
Accessibility Suit Over DraftKings' Website Dropped
This article doesn't do a very good job of telling us why or how the lawsuit was dropped. The plaintiff Robert Jahoda seems to be a professional ADA troll. He's a blind person who, when I first wrote about ADA trolling years ago, had already filed dozens of suits and continues to do so until today.,
Jahoda, who is blind, uses a screen reader, a form of technology that converts text and image content to speech or braille output. In his suit, he alleged that DraftKings' website has never been fully accessible for him and others with visual disabilities, because it failed to make its website compatible with screen reader technology and other auxiliary aids, such as audio recordings, screen reader software, magnification software, large print materials, and other materials and services for visually impaired and blind individuals, in violation of Title III of the ADA. "By failing to make its website available in a manner compatible with computer screen reader programs, defendant, a public accommodation subject to Title III, deprives individuals who are partially sighted, visually impaired, or totally blind the benefits of its online goods, content, and services," Jahoda said in his complaint. In his suit, Jahoda sought a declaratory judgment that DraftKings violated the ADA and a permanent injunction ordering the company to "take all steps necessary to bring its website into full compliance" with ADA requirements. He also sought nominal damages. Jahoda said in his complaint that DraftKings was denying approximately 7.4 million Americans with vision difficulty access to its online store because the website is largely incompatible with the screen reader programs people with visual impairments use in a world that is increasingly dominated by e-commerce. This story comes to us from: Law360.
Website Accessibility Ruling Reveals ADA Clarification
I rarely include a blurb about an article as long as this one but this is a very interesting piece about online accessibility that I think anyone with an interest in such should read in full. It's a mainstream article about the kind of ADA trolling I warned everyone about years ago.
In recent years, some plaintiffs attorneys have found a lucrative business model in filing — or threatening to file — a lawsuit alleging that a company's website violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, or a state civil rights law such as California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, because the website isn't accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. By doing a quick scan of a website, and then copying and pasting from other complaints, these attorneys can often get a quick settlement with minimal effort. A couple of those settlements can lead to a lot of money, and a couple hundred of them can lead to even more — one Florida attorney filed more than 250 of these suits in 2018. As a result, the number of these cases has jumped dramatically. Every year since 2018 has seen more than 2,200, and at least two cases recently had new developments. On Oct. 10, in Charlap v. Golf & Tennis Pro Shop Inc., a visually impaired man filed a complaint against Golf & Tennis Pro Shop Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania alleging the business has violated the ADA by failing to make its website fully accessible to those with visual disabilities. On the other hand, Jahoda v. DraftKings Inc., a suit that accused the daily fantasy sports and betting platform of violating the ADA for the same reason, was dropped on Oct. 11. Given the amount of attention this issue has gotten over the years, one may wonder why the flood of lawsuits hasn't stopped and why some companies have been sued multiple times for similar violations relating to the same website. The answer may be surprising to some. Even after all this time, the federal government still has not promulgated accessibility regulations for websites, so it is still not entirely clear what companies need to do to comply with the ADA. This story comes to us from: Law360.
Philly agrees to settle accessibility lawsuit, plans to install or fix at least 10,000 sidewalk curbs
The city of Philadelphia will settle a federal lawsuit filed by disability activists by agreeing to a 15-year plan to install or fix at least 10,000 sidewalk curb ramps to allow or improve accessibility for people with mobility limitations or blindness, both sides announced Friday. This story comes to us from: Philadelphia Inquirer.
Business
Global Vision Impairment Devices Market is anticipated to grow
Vision Impairment is the limitation of one or more eye functions or visual systems. This can range from mild vision impairment to total blindness. The most common causes of visual impairment are uncorrected refractive errors, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. In such situations of visual impairment, assistive medical technologies for visual impairment can be used. Growing prevalence of visual impairment & blindness, increasing prevalence of several eye disorders such as diabetic retinopathy, refractive error, glaucoma, cataract, growing awareness on assistive medical technologies for visually challenged and government initiatives for awareness & funding for the advanced medical devices are some of the primary factors driving the growth. This story comes to us from: openPR.com.
Lifestyle
Garbage Man Adopts Blind Baby Left by Dumpster, 23 Years Later Boy Owns Million-Dollar Company
This is a really heartwarming story and the blurb comes from the middle. If you enjoy personal interest stories, you really need to read this one.
One day, Bob found an abandoned baby boy crying near one of the dumpsters he picked garbage from. "A baby?" he exclaimed and approached the little one. He looked around and saw nobody was there. He leaned and checked the baby's carrier and found a note that read: "To whoever finds this blind baby, please take care of him." Bob was startled. "How could someone do this to an infant?" This story comes to us from: AmoMama.
The Love of a Mother": Mum Gives Birth to 11 Blind Children
The video of Agnes Nespondi, a Kenyan woman, who gave birth to 11 blind children, has attracted attention on YouTube. The 8 minutes 10 seconds clip was posted on the platform by Afrimax English and it shows the mum struggling to survive with her kids. This story comes to us from: Legit.ng.
Nigerian Lady Who is Blind Beats 17 Women, Wins Miss Port Harcourt City Beauty Pageant
A lady who is visually impaired has defeated 17 other contestants to win the 2022 Miss Port Harcourt City Beauty Pageant. Favour Rufus is completely blind in one eye and partially blind in the other and needs constant treatment so as to see. But her victory has shocked many people as she has become a reference point used by many to draw courage in adversity. This story comes to us from: Legit.ng.
I Never Loved Fashion—Until I Went Blind — Natalie Trevonne's Personal Essay
Influencer Natalie Trevonne shares her story of how fashion became her creative outlet after she went blind. This story comes to us from: Cosmopolitan.
Blind Dallas man works to make museum more blind-friendly for White Cane Awareness Day
The Nasher Sculpture Center is working with Blake Lindsay to be blind-inclusive this White Cane Awareness Day. This story comes to us from: Yahoo News.
Dining while blind: Why restaurants need to do more than Braille menus
Fewer than 10 percent of the people who are legally blind in the United States read Braille. How can restaurants accommodate them? This story comes to us from: Corning Leader.
How do visually impaired people play video games
Blind gamer Ben Breen wants more studios to consider people like him when developing videogames. This story comes to us from: BBC.
The magic of touch: how deafblind people taught us to 'see' the world differently during COVID
Issy McGrath has type 2 Usher syndrome. Completely blind and severely deaf, she has a passion for music and plays the flute. Using a combination of touch, smell and keen imagination – her “inner eye” – Issy says she frequently senses things that are beyond the grasp of sight: the “almost solid” nature of the winter air in the morning, or the enchanting atmosphere of a frozen landscape. For Issy and many others like her, the COVID pandemic had a devastating effect on day-to-day life. This story comes to us from: The Conversation.
Austin's White Cane Day raises awareness for blind, visually impaired
You can celebrate and recognize how the blind and visually impaired live and work independently with an event going on October 12. This story comes to us from: FOX 7 Austin.
Homeless Girl Sacrifices Lunch for Blind Lady & Stays Hungry, Later Inherits Her Mansion
This is a really good story that is very well written so it was a bit hard to come up with a quick blurb for it. I enjoyed it so maybe you will too.
That's when she noticed the old woman was blind. "Water…water!" the old woman croaked, not having enough strength to use her voice. Lena opened her backpack and helped the woman drink from a bottle of water. After several tiny sips, the elderly woman took a deep breath and smiled in Lena's direction. "Thank you so much, petal! I thought I was going to die!" she said, stretching her tired feet.
"Not today, ma'am," Lena smiled, studying the woman to ensure she was okay. This story comes to us from: AmoMama.
Art and Artists
Meet the 99-year-old blind pianist who has over 500 jazz songs memorized
Although Lueders is now legally blind, he has written 14 books and is about to release his 4th studio album entitled,"Ed Lueders@99." This story comes to us from: The Salt Lake Tribune.
Sports and Athletes
Peter Holzigal wins gold medal in vision impaired division at NSW Small Bore and Air Rifle Association State Championships
Peter Holzigal is breaking down barriers for blind people after winning a gold medal in air rifle shooting. This story comes to us from: southcoastregister.com.au.
Ocala Christian falls to Florida School for Deaf & Blind in eight-man football
A young and injury-depleted Ocala Christian Academy played Florida School for the Deaf & Blind on fairly even terms for the first half of Thursday night's eight-man football game. But the Crusaders wore down in the second half, as the Dragons controlled the ball and used a punishing ground game that piled up more than 350 yards to pull away for a 52-16 victory. This story comes to us from: Ocala.com.
OH Leuven offer seating and commentary headsets for blind fans
OH Leuven has become the sixth Belgian top-flight club to provide designated seating and services for blind and visually impaired supporters. Following an announcement by Leuven’s municipality, OHL will follow in the footsteps of AA Gent, Anderlecht, Club Brugge, RC Genk, and Antwerp in enhancing the matchday experience for blind and visually impaired fans. Via a headset, they will be able to listen to live commentary. The Leuven-based club will offer the service to fans for the first time at its home match against RC Genk. This story comes to us from: Inside World Football.
Blind New Jersey man conquers Ironman competition for organization that helped save his life
A South Jersey man is putting some passion behind his goal to pay it forward. Ian Fleming is blind, yet he’s conquering his first Ironman challenge all in an effort to give back to an organization that he says has helped save his life. Perseverance is key for Fleming. He spent the day swimming nearly 2.5 miles in a pool, cycling 112 miles on a stationary bike and running 26 miles on a treadmill. It’s all to raise awareness and some much-needed funding for Seeing Eye, which is an organization that breeds puppies, raises them and then trains the dogs to guide blind people. This story comes to us from: ABC17NEWS.
Commemorating International White Cane Day, a 70-year-old walked 10.15km to raise funds
… Simon, walked a 10.15km cane-a-thon to raise funds for the Hong Kong Blind Union. This story comes to us from: South China Morning Post.
Blind passion: Five questions with Lonnie Wetzbarger
Wetzbarger was born blind, but didn't let that stop him from developing a passion for sports, especially football. This story comes to us from: Loveland Reporter-Herald.
In Memoriam
Neil McLachlan obituary
My father, Neil McLachlan, who has died suddenly aged 81, was completely blind from his late 30s as a result of the inherited condition retinitis pigmentosa, but he never let his blindness prevent him from leading a fiercely independent life. For nearly 30 years, he worked as a research scientist at British Steel, devising complex data models to improve the manufacturing process. In 1990, he and two other blind people achieved a world record for blind mountaineering, climbing to an altitude of 6,476m (21,250ft) – in a team with nine sighted climbers. This story comes to us from: The Guardian.
Weirdness
Study Finds Over Half Of Blind Americans With Walking Sticks Covert Assassins
A study released Monday by researchers at the UCLA Center for Disability Resources found that over half of all blind Americans with walking sticks were covert assassins waiting for the perfect moment to strike. “Our research suggests that the majority of blind Americans with walking sticks—whether tapping their way along a forest path or drinking at a tavern, seemingly oblivious to the pack of thugs mocking their infirmity—are in fact lethal killing machines just moments away from drawing their katana and leaving behind a bloodbath. This story comes to us from: The Onion.
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