Deafblind Services Society
of British Columbia

Lives of Meaning

Eddy

I was born deaf, but had normal vision. When I was about 7, I lost the vision in my left eye as a result of surgery and then, a year later I started to lose the vision in my right eye. I was diagnosed with Usher’s Syndrome. My brother Pier also has Ushers syndrome and today we are both Deafblind. As a young adult I competed in cross country running, wrestling, wrestling and judo, and even played ice hockey with a blind ice hockey team!

I have a guide dog, who helps me to get around the city independently. I am able to take care of most of my daily living activities on my own, such as cooking laundry, cleaning and paying bills on line. However, I need and use the services of an intervenor for grocery shopping, banking, and to help me take my two sons to places like the park, museum and swimming. I need an intervenor to be my eyes and ears, because I don’t want to depend on my young sons. I would rather they enjoy our time together, having adventures and exploring, not having to take care of me.

I have paid employment with Deafblind Services, coordinating the Volunteer Intervenor program for the Acquired Deafblind Club. I am able to do this job with the assistance of a Braille display with a JAWS program that provides access to the computer and internet, along with a PAC device that allows other staff to type messages and talk with me, as it outputs to a braille display. As a Deafblind person, intervention services make all the difference in my life between being isolated and dependent to being part of society and independent. I believe this is true for all Deafblind people.