Success Stories
“Coming to Lions World Services for the Blind did so much to change the direction in my life. I came to Lions World at a point in my life where I was very low. LWSB gave me an opportunity to gain my confidence back and learn the skills needed to compete in the outside world.” -- Scott Jones, Graduate of LWSB |
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Scott Jones suffers from Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative condition characterized by tunnel vision and night blindness. The disease affects vision due to a breakdown of retinal tissues, and it frequently results in total vision loss. |
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The 33-year-old came to Lions World Services for the Blind at the age of 23 from Pine Village, Indiana, after struggling to complete his education in a traditional college setting. At LWSB, Scott received computer programming training and is now successfully employed at Dillard’s corporate headquarters in Little Rock. In the 10 years he has been employed at Dillard’s, he has worked his way up the career ladder from an entry-level technical support position to an upper-level operations analyst position. “As what happens in a lot of cases of someone losing his or her vision, I had gone into a depression and taken on a lot of self defeating habits, such as smoking, improper diet, lack of conditioning and no career path. So with the decision to create a better future for myself, I found LWSB. LWSB not only gave me the tools to succeed, but it also allowed me fellowship and time with others going through the same struggles as I was,” Scott said. While he was training at LWSB, Scott got involved in the sport of judo. He began practicing it at a nearby college as a way to get back in shape, and now he is teaching the sport four times a week to children and adults at a dojo in Little Rock. He also competes in the international Paralympic Games as a member of the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA). He has competed in the Paralympic games every year since 2003 and was a medalist in the 2005 Pan American Games in Brazil. This year, he will compete in the 2007 World Cup games in Brazil, which is a qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. |
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