Posts by robhowell
Elijah's Determination Overcomes Hurdles of Ocular Albinism
Elijah was first seen by our ophthalmologist in late February 2013. We noticed that his left eye was turning inward and felt it was necessary to have him evaluated. It was at the first appointment that he was diagnosed with Ocular Albinism, Strabismus (the turning in of his left eye) and Nystagmus. So many things…
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Ashley and Aaron Working Against Blind Stereotypes
Mary Ann Reynolds, former VIPS staff member and mother of VIPS graduate Ashley Reynolds Linson and mother-in-law of VIPS graduate Aaron Linson, sent along a progress report of Ashley and Aaron’s current life.
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Aria Makes Progress With Aicardi Syndrome
Our beautiful daughter Aria was born January 2014 and has kept us very busy as any child does. She has the diagnosis of Aicardi Syndrome, a rare disorder that typically only appears in females since the abnormality occurs in the X-chromosome. This syndrome causes several eye abnormalities along with a lot of other accommodative diagnoses. We…
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Planned Giving
Have you ever thought you might want to leave a gift in your will to VIPS or another charity of your choice?
A few years ago my husband Charlie and I sat down with our lawyer to update our wills. It had been a long time since we had made any changes. Our lawyer has a great “bedside manner” and obviously has helped many people over his professional career to write their wills. He asked us many good questions, one of which was “what charitable organizations mean the most to you, and would you like to remember any in your will?” My answer was obviously “yes!”
The Outdoors as Sensory Input for Your Visually Impaired Child
The outdoor environment is sensory-rich! Wind blowing across your skin and through your hair, warm sun on your skin, sounds made by wind blowing the trees and bushes, sounds of birds, traffic, church bells, dogs barking, sounds of swings and other playground equipment, the feel of grass on your feet and legs, the rough texture of bark on trees, the tickle of leaves when you walk under branches, cold squishy mud, dry sand, and fragrant soil that is ready for planting are all experiences that provide wonderful sensory input.
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