Lion's World Services For the Blind

“Thanks to the training and support I received from LWSB, I have realized that I am not disabled but very much enabled.”

-- Sheria Chipman, Graduate of LWSB

Hello, my name is Sheria Chipman and I would like to share with you how LWSB made a tremendous and positive impact on my life. I was born with the eye disease, Myopic Degeneration. I literally walked in blindness the first five years of my life, and even though this led to frequent accidents because of walking off sidewalks and miscalculating
steps and stairs, my parents did not notice the problem.

When I entered school and struggled to see the blackboard and read school books, the school nurse arranged for me to be seen by an ophthalmologist. This led to my diagnosis of Myopic Degeneration. No one could have prepared me for the life that followed.

I was teased and bullied daily by my classmates because I wore very thick glasses and, even though I used a heavy magnifying bar, I still had to use books four times the size of regular school books. Despite the constant ridicule, I was determined to get my education. After graduating from high school, my parents assumed that I would attend college, but I told them I had just completed the worst 12 years of my life and was not going to subject myself to being treated that way ever again. I moved out on my own.

One day, a counselor for the Louisiana State Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind came to my home. She told me about the services and training offered at Lions World Services for the Blind. Even though my family was consistent in telling me what I could not do with my visual impairment, I sought out my mother’s support. To my amazement, she told me to go for it and that she would keep my son until I returned. I knew I should make the most of this opportunity.

I was nervous about going to LWSB. All I saw was another school. But when I got there, I discovered a place where people like me shared the common goal of learning to lead a full, independent and productive life.

After speaking with my counselors I decided that the Internal Revenue Service Training Program would open a great career path for me. I interviewed for the training, but was not accepted. Devastated, I immediately labeled myself as a failure and decided it was time to go home and try to make the best life I could under the circumstances. Little did I know that what would happen next would change my outlook.

Ramona Sangalli, LWSB CEO, called me to her office and she convinced me that I had great potential -- and that I had paid too big of a price to give up now. She made me see that I was hiding behind the words, “I can’t” and that I must believe in not only myself, but also in my abilities. I reapplied for the next class and was selected for the Contact Collection Representative program and graduated in 1991. I moved to San Diego to begin my new life.

Disaster struck only 10 months later. I woke up one morning totally blind. After many tests, my sudden loss of vision remained a mystery and I was told there was nothing that could be done to restore even my limited vision. At this point, I turned to God, hoping for a miracle. That miracle came three months later when I began to see flickers of light that grew into shadows. As my vision became more focused I learned that the blood vessel in my left eye had exploded, leaving the retina severely scarred. As a result, I lost all central vision in my left eye.

I returned to work but learned very quickly that using the computer for long amounts of time was difficult due to the fact that my right eye was trying to compensate for the loss of vision in my left eye. I was told that I would need additional training to learn how to use a scanner and a speech program if I was to continue to do my work. Fortunately, I was able to return to LWSB for this training.

The use of this adaptive technology allowed me to begin setting career goals for myself. I was first promoted to Lead Tax Examiner in 1998 and then reached my next goal by being named Team Leader in 1999. In March of 2004 I was asked to return to LWSB, not for further training, but to be an IRS instructor, helping other people who are blind or visually impaired!

Now it is rewarding beyond words to be able to share my skills and experience with people who are fighting the same battles that I fought. It has been a hard journey. Thanks to the training and support I received from LWSB, I have realized that I am not disabled but very much enabled. I cannot begin to express the appreciation I have for LWSB and the training I have received. It prepared me for a life and career that I thought
I could only dream about. But I am only one of thousands whose lives have been changed. I feel I was given a second chance, a new life, and for that I will be forever grateful.