Penny has always been blind and has been connected with CNIB since she was five years old. Over the years, she lost her hearing. “I have implants so I am learning to hear again and I read a lot in braille.”
Penny is from British Columbia but now makes her home in Ontario—a move that she says broadened her world. “In Ontario, I can access intervenor services through Deafblind Community Services and I quickly realized I have the choice to live a full, independent life.”
How Penny can choose
Penny says she has an intervenor for three hours each week, giving her the freedom to do what she likes. “In the summer, I enjoy wandering through gardens. I learn through touch and smell, and can see them because my intervenor describes the flowers in vivid colour. We also go shopping, swimming or whatever I choose to do. With her, my dreams have no limits.”
Advocating for the Deafblind community
She also spends her time advocating for the Deafblind community. “We need to create awareness for people who are Deafblind to ensure access to services across Canada. Right now, only Ontario and, just recently, Saskatchewan have intervenor services, yet so many others who are Deafblind are living their lives not realizing how much these services can open doors to so much more.”
If you are Deafblind, you can also choose to live a full life like Penny by accessing services through CNIB Deafblind Community Services. Contact us today so we can talk about your future.